The conservative People's Party (PP) claimed victory in Andalusia's regional election held on May 17, 2026, securing 53 of 109 seats in the regional parliament but falling two seats short of an absolute majority [1, 2, 3]. This marks a loss of 5 seats from the 58 they held after the 2022 election [2, 4].
Juan Manuel Moreno, PP's regional leader, acknowledged the shortfall but said he aims to govern without dependence on the far-right Vox party, which increased its presence from 14 to 15 seats and is pushing for a role in government [3, 5]. Moreno said, "I’m going to try to govern alone and I’ll work as hard as possible so there are no constraints or conditions from Vox. I’ve said very clearly that I have no interest in governing with Vox. None at all" [3]. He also criticized Vox’s “national priority” immigration policy, calling it "an empty slogan" while supporting immigration control as needed to avoid social problems [4].
Vox’s gain makes it a key player for any governing coalition despite Moreno’s public reluctance. The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), led nationally by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, fell to its worst-ever Andalusian result with 28 seats, down from 30 previously [1, 2]. Sánchez congratulated Moreno on his win but faced internal criticism and calls for reflection after the defeat [3]. He vowed, "My party will continue to drive the kind of social and political advance that benefits the people despite this catastrophic result in Andalusia" [3].
Left-wing parties made modest gains. Adelante Andalucía increased its seats from 2 to an estimated 6-8, while the coalition Por Andalucía held steady at 5 seats [2, 4]. Voter turnout was 64.6%, reflecting sustained public engagement [5].
National PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo framed the Andalusian vote as a springboard to challenge the Spanish government, stating at a final rally on May 15, "A vote for Andalusia’s PP leader Juanma Moreno is worth double: to ensure Andalusia wins and to change the government of Spain" [6]. Following the election, the PP began preparations to leverage the regional victory for their 2027 national campaign, with coalition talks ongoing [4, 7].
Moreno said, "It’s true that we didn’t get top marks we were hoping for, but we’ve still achieved an outstanding grade. We have been given a mandate to continue transforming Andalucía" [3]. The region’s next steps hinge on whether the PP can govern as a minority or negotiate support or abstention from Vox or other parties.
