Spain’s far-right Vox party demands place in government

LONDON: Spain’s far-right Vox party is pushing for a place in the new regional government of Castilla y León following a snap election that has proved a tactical misstep for the ruling conservative People’s party (PP).

The PP called Sunday’s vote in the hope of securing an absolute majority after spending three years governing the region in partnership with the centre-right Citizens party. But the move backfired. Although the PP finished first, taking 31.4% of the vote and 31 seats in the 81-seat regional parliament, it did not attract enough support to govern alone. The Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE), came second with 30% of the vote and 28 seats, while Vox took third place with 17.6% and saw its seat count rise from one to 13.

The far-right grouping’s strong showing casts it in the role of kingmaker for any future PP administration. In the past it has cut deals to help the PP into office in Madrid, Andalucía and Murcia, but this time it is demanding a place in a coalition government.

“Vox has the right and the duty to form a government in Castilla y León,” Vox’s leader, Santiago Abascal, told a political rally on Sunday night. The PP’s regional leader, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, said he would begin speaking to other parties about forming a new government in Castilla y León.

“I will speak with everyone to form a government of everyone and for everyone,” he said. “The coalition governments we’ve seen so far – including the national government (of the PSOE and Unidas Podemos) – haven’t been satisfactory,” said the party’s general secretary, Teodoro García Egea.