Spain’s far-right VOX party has doubled its representation in the western region of Extremadura, emerging as a decisive force after Sunday’s regional election and complicating efforts to form a new government.
The conservative People’s Party (PP) won the most seats with 29 in the 65-seat assembly, but fell four short of an outright majority, once again leaving it dependent on VOX’s support. VOX increased its seats to 11 from 5, underlining its growing influence ahead of a series of regional elections due next year.
The result adds pressure on Pedro Sánchez
The Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez suffered heavy losses, dropping to 18 seats from 28 in a region it had governed for decades. The result continues a broader decline for the Socialists since 2023 and adds pressure to Sánchez’s minority government, already weakened by recent scandals.
The snap vote was called by PP regional leader María Guardiola after budget talks collapsed when VOX refused to back the proposal. Together, the PP-VOX bloc secured just over 60% of the vote, signalling a continued rightward shift in Extremadura and reinforcing the far right’s leverage in Spanish regional politics.
The leader of the VOX party, Santiago Abascal // Shutterstock