Socialist politicians from cities and regions across Spain want embattled Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call snap national elections amid mounting corruption scandals, even though they know their party is almost certain to lose. There is concern locally about a potential “domino effect,” whereby a fall in the party’s ratings at the national level would lead to defeat in municipal elections, Spanish media reported on Tuesday.
Internal political tensions within the Spanish Socialist Party are rapidly spilling beyond the corridors of power. Due to the recent major scandal involving wiretapping and the involvement of high-ranking socialists, more and more regional authorities are privately requesting snap elections. Locals are concerned about a potential “domino effect,” whereby a drop in the party’s ratings at the national level will lead to a collapse in municipal elections.
The greatest concern is in Andalusia, Galicia, Castile and León, and Valencia. These regions could lose their last key mayoral and regional government seats.
Meanwhile, in Aragon, the party has already split into two camps: those who support Pedro Sánchez’s course and those who are calling for elections.
Even in the Canary Islands, where snap elections are considered impractical, criticism is slowly beginning to emerge and doubts are being expressed about the current government’s ability to govern Spain effectively.
Officially, however, most regional branches still publicly support the prime minister. The PSC in Catalonia, where elections were held a year ago and the Socialists returned to power for the first time since 2010, stands out in this regard. If Sánchez does not take any important decisions, not only could he fail in future elections, but the internal rift in the PSOE could also deepen.
