On Sunday, the socialists of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez suffered a serious defeat in the regional elections in the autonomous community of Extremadura, reports LETA citing AFP.
Voting in this southwestern region was seen as an indicator of broader political sentiments.
Of the 65 seats in the regional assembly, the socialists received only 18 — their worst result in the history of elections in Extremadura. In the previous assembly, they had 28 mandates.
The socialists have governed this region for decades, but in 2023 control passed to the conservative People's Party (PP) with the support of the far-right party 'Vox'.
The PP announced snap elections in hopes of gaining a majority. In the elections on Sunday, the PP won 29 mandates, becoming the largest faction but not achieving an absolute majority.
This means that the PP will once again have to rely on the support of 'Vox', which increased its representation from five to 11 seats.
Regional governments in Spain control important areas such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and culture.
At the national level, the socialists lead a minority government. Recently, the party's reputation has suffered amid allegations of corruption and sexual harassment.
In the first half of 2026, regional elections will be held in Spain in Andalusia, Aragon, and Castile and León.
