Alberto Feijoo, leader of Spain’s right-wing Popular Party (PPC), which won most seats in Sunday general elections, said he would push for the chance to form a government as the party with the most votes.
“As the candidate of the party that won the most seats, I believe it is my duty to try to form a government,” he told supporters outside the party headquarters in Madrid.
He added that this would contribute to ensuring stability in Europe’s fourth largest economy and reassuring investors and citizens alike.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) Pedro Sanchez believed that Spain’s right wing had lost the race before progressive factions.
He added that he would begin negotiations to secure the largest possible support to remain in power in a bid to serve the country’s national interests.
With 99.9 percent of the votes having been counted, the results showed that the Popular Party has won 136 out of 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies (the absolute majority is 176 seats), followed by the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE), led by Pedro Sanchez, with 122 seats.
The far-right Vox Party came third with 33 seats, while the Sumar (a grouping of 15 small socialist parties) garnered 31 seats.
The turnout reached 70.40, up four points higher than 2019 election turnout.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the snap election on May 29 only a day after his Socialists party had been set to rout in municipal and local elections.
The general vote came a few weeks after Spain had assumed the European Union (EU) presidency for a six-month term amid a set of key challenges and four major priorities, notably reindustrializing the EU, making progress on ecological transition, social and economic justice and strengthening European unity.
It is the fifth time for Spain to assume EU presidency from 1 July to 31 December and the last time was in 2010.
Source: Kuwait News Agency