Spain's Socialists win big in EU polls

MADRID: Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was the big winner of European elections in Spain on Sunday with his ruling Socialists coming first, a result he will likely use to wield more influence in the bloc.

With Spain the only major EU country where the Socialists topped the polls, Sanchez has emerged as the big hope for European social democrats.

Results for local and regional elections that took place on the same day were still being counted.

If his Socialists also do well in those as predicted, Sanchez will be in a stronger position as he seeks to form a new government following a general election on April 28.

With more than 85 percent of votes counted, government spokeswoman Isabel Celaa announced the Socialist Party had come first with close to 33 percent in the elections to the European parliament, gaining 20 seats.

They were followed by the conservative Popular Party (PP) which won just over 20 percent.

Newly-emerged far-right party Vox, meanwhile, got just over six percent of the vote.

That's less than the 10 percent it won in the general election when it burst into the national parliament.

The Socialists' win is a victory for Sanchez, not only on the domestic front but further afield in the bloc.

On Friday, outgoing Foreign Minister Josep Borrell, whom Spain could push to become the next EU foreign policy chief, told supporters that Sanchez was going to "lead the resurgence of social democracy in Europe".

Separately, Catalonia's former separatist president Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain in 2017 after a failed secession bid, and his ex-deputy Oriol Junqueras, were elected to the European Parliament.

- Madrid region swings left? -

On the domestic front, the results of local and regional elections may determine what Spain's new government looks like in what has been billed the "second round" of the April general election.

Sanchez had urged supporters to "finish the work" of that election and turn out in force on Sunday.

He hopes his party will perform well so he can opt for his preferred plan of forming a minority government with the support of other parties on a case-by-case basis when passing laws.

But while Sanchez wants to rule alone, Pablo Iglesias, the leader of far-left party Podemos, is pushing him to form a coalition.

Whether Sanchez accepts may depend on how both parties fare.

The Socialists "might need the support of Podemos to retain power in some regions, which Iglesias might use to pressure Sanchez into forming a coalition," said Teneo analyst Antonio Barroso.

But Iglesias' party is on the decline according to the most recent polls, and PSOE might enjoy a certain 'honeymoon effect' after its victory in the April legislative election.

"If the distance between the two parties widens after Sunday, Sanchez will be in an even stronger position to head a minority government."

Provisional results suggested the Socialists would win in many of the 12 regions going to the polls on Sunday.

But all eyes are on the region of Madrid, which could swing left after being governed by the PP for 24 years.

An exit poll by local television channel Telemadrid predicted that would be the case, with Socialist candidate Angel Gabilondo coming first.