The Spanish national elections on Sunday led to inconclusive results as the conservative Popular Party won the polls but fell short of a clear majority and failed to force the removal of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The results have complicated the party’s efforts to form the next government in Spain.

The Popular Party led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo performed below the expectations of most campaign polls, although it managed to beat Sanchez’s Socialist Workers’ Party. However, the socialist party and its potential allies have 172 seats, slightly more than the Popular Party and its bloc at 170.

Political analyst Verónica Fumanal described the elections as a ‘pyrrhic’ victory for the Popular Party for failing to form the government despite winning, predicting a ‘deadlock scenario’ emerging in the Spanish Parliament.

On the other hand, the chances of Sanchez and his allies are also not looking good as their numbers fall short of 176 seats, the absolute majority required to form the government. The hardline separatist party Junts (Together) now holds the power for Sánchez’s return to the premiership.

“We won’t make Pedro Sánchez PM in exchange for nothing,” Míriam Nogueras of Junts said.

The unexpected outcome came after weeks of political juggling and uncertainty over the country’s future leadership. The next prime minister only would be voted on once lawmakers are installed in the new Congress of Deputies.

The Popular Party is winning 136 seats as 98% of the votes have been counted. Even with an alliance with the far-right VOX party and gaining 33 seats, the PP falls short of a clear majority.

Meanwhile, Sánchez’s party, leading on 122 seats, can call on the 31 seats of its coalition partner Sumar (Joining Forces) and other parties to overtake the right-wing bloc.

“Spain and all the citizens who have voted have made themselves clear. The backward-looking bloc that wanted to undo all that we have done has failed,” Sánchez said while addressing a crowd in Madrid.

The 51-year-old Sánchez had ousted PP’s Mariano Rajoy from the PM’s office through Spain’s only no-confidence vote in 2018, amidst divisions in his party. 

However, Feijóo claimed his right to form a government as the most-voted party in the election. He also said that he was “proud” of his party’s first national election victory since 2016. “We have won the elections, it corresponds to us to form a government like it has always happened in Spanish democracy,” he said.

A PP-Vox government in Spain would mean the shift of another European Union to the right, as seen recently in Sweden, Finland and Italy.

(with AP inputs)

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