Imogen Calderwood
SPAIN’S two-party dominance could start to crumble in the European Parliament elections, according to the latest opinion polls.
The ruling centre right Partido Popular (PP) and the opposition Socialists (PSOE) have essentially shared power since the end of Francisco Franco’s dictatorship in the 1970s.
But all that could change on Sunday as voters are turning to anti-corruption and anti-austerity candidates.
Disgust at the economic slump means the PP and PSOE are likely to have the worst showing in a European election in 25 years, according to polls.
The results of the European Parliament elections will provide a valuable insight leading in to the general elections due in early 2016.
Antonio Garcia Tojar, sociology professor at Madrid’s Complutense University, said: “Spain needs to rethink the two-party nature of its political system.
“If the smaller parties gain representation, we’ll be seeing an effect on the big parties – especially the opposition will have to change course.”
Surveys predict the PP and PSOE will lose around 10 of their combined 47 seats, where Spain of 54 seats in total.
The Izquierda Unida (IU) is expected to triple its seats to six, while the social-liberal Union Progreso y Democracia (UPyD) could jump from one seat to four.
But unlike many other European countries, Spanish voters are not turning to anti-immigrant or ‘eurosceptic’ parties, expected to take around a quarter of the seats.
While in the UK many Brits plan to protest the economic downturn by voting for UKIP, many of Spain’s discontented voters will choose the ‘Empty Seats’ movement.
This symbolic party aims to win a seat in the parliament, and then not fill it.
Many Spaniards are unable to see much difference between the two main parties, referring to them as the ‘PPSOE’. Certainly, neither of them will be championing the causes of foreign Europeans resident in Spain. Abstaining, of course, gives strength to the main parties…
Lenox most Brits can’t see any real difference at home either. What a shame we don’t have P/R, I believe it is the only country in the EU that has the totally corrupt ‘first past the post’ system.
I always find it amusing when the UK political crap, oh sorry class denigrate coalition government. Of course this is not working in the UK but then just take a look at the self-seeking garbage that walks into parliament each day
, that is when they bother to turn up. After all they have their own personal interests to look after first.
Great news! I will be voting for Escanos en Blanco too (the empty seat party)
Escanos en Blanco is not abstaining from voting, it’s a computable vote for the seat to remain empty of politicians
There’s actually an anti-politician party which concentrates on corruption issues. The *Partido X*. They say it’s the one party that neither the politicians nor the bankers want to see in Brussels. The candidate is Hervé Falciani, who famously took information about 130,000 tax evaders out of Switzerland.
Each MEP costs £1.2m and they come up with some very strange decisions so what do the main parties expect. There will be many protest votes and hopefully the Spanish will vote anti corruption and this will send a message at the very least.
To Stuart – a shame for UK citizens, but reality shows that the top Government elitist-class officials in this “democracy” have not acted to represent the typical UK citizens’ interests for decades. These posh officials have never had a real, accountable job out of University, moved into government positions with the same lack of accountability, and act mostly for their own interests to simply get re-elected by a reduced voter base that have given up hope in the electoral system having any effect. In the UK, it’s who you know, what University you came from and who your family reports to be.
The existing officials, except the UKIP just hope to get into the EU Commission where the REAL income is & NO accountability. Officials Mums and Dads will be SO proud?!
Joseph – well said.