Spain’s governing party has extended its advantage in the latest monthly survey from CIS, with PSOE pulling further ahead of its rivals.

According to the April barometer, the PSOE would win 36.4% of the vote in a hypothetical general election, representing more than a third of total support.

That puts it well clear of the People’s Party (PP), which sits at 23.6%, while Vox remains in third place on 14.7%.

Gap widens as Vox slips

The figures show a growing gap between Spain’s two main parties.

In March, the PSOE led by 8.5 points. That advantage has now stretched to nearly 13 points.

Vox has dropped two points compared to the previous month, while Sumar stands at 5.8%.

Among smaller parties, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (2.9%) edges ahead of Podemos (2.2%).

Sanchez remains clear favourite

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez continues to dominate when voters are asked who they prefer as leader.

He receives backing from 48% of respondents, in a huge lead over Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who trails on 15.3%.

Santiago Abascal ranks third at 14.8%, followed by Gabriel Rufian on 6.5%.

Housing tops list of concerns

The survey also highlights what Spaniards see as the country’s biggest issues.

Housing is now the top concern, cited by 41.3% of respondents.

That is followed by economic problems (24.9%) and job quality (19.2%).

Global tensions weigh on public opinion

The poll was conducted amid rising geopolitical tensions, including conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

As a result, 68.4% of respondents say they are ‘very or quite concerned’ about the situation in the Middle East, while nearly nine in ten believe it poses a risk to global peace.

Public opinion is divided on how Spain’s response to the crisis has affected its global standing.

While 38.6% say the country’s image has improved significantly, and a further 11.8% see some improvement, 42.6% believe it has improved little or not at all.