Hard-right party Vox has achieved what it set out to do in Andalucia’s regional elections: take away Juanma Moreno’s majority.
After weeks of campaigning on immigration, nationalism and what the party repeatedly branded as ‘common sense politics’, Vox emerged from Sunday’s vote in a stronger position than four years ago.
It means it now holds the balance of power for Moreno and the Partido Popular (PP).
With the PP falling short of an outright majority, Moreno may now be forced to negotiate with Vox if he wants to continue governing Andalucia without political instability.
Led in Andalucia by Manuel Gavira, Vox secured 15 seats in the regional parliament – one more than in 2022 – while increasing its share of the vote to 13.9%.
Throughout the count, Vox consistently outperformed its previous result, fuelling growing optimism inside the party that it would once again become decisive in Andalucian politics.
The party performed particularly strongly in Almeria, where it won three seats.
However, in provinces such as Cadiz and Sevilla, Vox slipped to fourth place after being overtaken by the surprise success of Adelante Andalucia.
Party officials and supporters gathered in Sevilla’s Muelle 21 restaurant to follow the results, where celebrations reportedly remained cautious until the final stages of the count confirmed Vox’s strengthened position.
The election campaign itself was heavily focused on immigration and national identity, themes repeatedly pushed by Vox leader Santiago Abascal during rallies across Andalucia.
‘We are the heirs of Ferdinand III, who expelled the Moors from Andalucia,’ Abascal declared during one campaign event, in comments that drew controversy during the race.
Vox is now expected to use its parliamentary leverage to push the PP towards tougher positions on immigration and national identity issues as negotiations begin over the future of the Andalucian government.
For Moreno, the result represents a far more complicated scenario than the landslide majority he enjoyed after the 2022 election.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
