Faced with the apparent defeat in a number of places in the local and regional elections, including the Valencia Region, and even in places where the socialist candidates increased their number of votes but not vote share, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, has announced plans to hold a general election on 23 July.
“I have just held an office with the King in which I have communicated the decision to convene a Council of Ministers this afternoon to dissolve the Cortes and proceed to call the general elections.” This was announced by Sánchez in an institutional statement at the Palacio de la Moncloa before meeting with the leadership of the PSOE to analyse the results of 28M. Some elections that have been a real setback for the Socialists, who say goodbye to important fiefdoms.
The advance of this appointment at the polls, initially scheduled for the end of the year, will appear tomorrow, Tuesday, in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
“I have made this decision in view of the results of the elections held yesterday”, the head of the Executive has acknowledged in this appearance without questions. The political overturn has been the trigger for him to have taken this step. The campaign will coincide with the negotiations that PP and Vox will lead in several communities and town halls to seize power. Also, with the beginning of the rotating Presidency of the EU of Spain.
As Sánchez continued, “the first consequence” of Sunday’s results “will be that magnificent regional presidents, socialist mayors and mayors will be displaced with impeccable management.” And this, he pointed out, “despite the fact that many have seen their support increase.”
“The second”, he explained, is that “numerous institutions will be administered by new majorities made up of the PP and Vox and, although the votes had municipal and regional scope, the meaning of the vote conveys a message beyond”. For this reason, he has affirmed, “as president of the Government and also as general secretary of the PSOE, I assume the result in first person, and I believe it is necessary to give an answer and submit our democratic mandate to the will of the people.”
Unlike the elections at the weekend, British residents are not eligible to vote in national elections.
