Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialists appeared set for an unprecedented drubbing in Andalusian regional elections that could be a dress rehearsal for next year’s national vote, partial results showed.
Regions wield wide-ranging powers in areas including health, education and housing in Spain’s decentralised political system, making the election in the country’s most populous region especially significant.
Andalusia – a sun-soaked tourist magnet famed for its Mediterranean beach resorts and historic cities such as Seville, Granada and Cordoba – was governed by the Socialists for almost 40 years.
But with 85% of votes counted by 10:15 pm (2015 GMT), the Socialists were projected to take just 28 of the 109 seats up for grabs – their worst-ever result.
The main conservative Popular Party (PP), which has governed the southern region since 2019, was on course to win 52 seats, leaving it three short of another majority in the historic Socialist heartland.
