The PSOE breathed a sigh of relief in Andalucia last night as it avoided the total collapse predicted by various polls.

Led by Maria Jesus Montero, the Socialists secured 28 seats in the Andalucian parliament, representing two fewer than in 2022, but still above some forecasts that had predicted as low as 24.

Party insiders admitted expectations had become extremely modest during the campaign, with many inside the PSOE focusing primarily on limiting losses and preventing Juanma Moreno and the Partido Popular from achieving an outright majority.

In that sense, some within the party privately described the night as close to a ‘success’, particularly after the PP failed to secure the absolute majority it had been targeting.

Although the 28-seat result still represents one of the worst performances in the history of Andalucian socialism, PSOE figures said the party did not suffer a major collapse in raw vote numbers.

Instead, some Socialist officials argued that much of the left-wing vote drifted towards the surprise success of Adelante Andalucia, which surged from two seats to eight.

Even so, there was little real celebration inside the Socialist camp on election night.

Party members gathered at PSOE headquarters reportedly showed long faces and subdued reactions as the count unfolded, despite attempts by some activists to encourage optimism.

Behind the scenes, some Socialist figures even suggested that a repeat election might not necessarily damage the party and could potentially improve its position depending on how negotiations between the PP and Vox develop in the coming weeks.