Polls predict the conservative People’s Party victory and a rise of far-right Vox.

On Sunday, Castile and Leon, Spain’s largest autonomous community, will hold regional elections with early predictions of a significant rise of the far-right Vox party. The conservative People’s Party (PP) has ruled the region since 1987, without a recent absolute majority.

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Polls predict a PP victory without an absolute majority, a rise for Vox, and a slight decline for the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), which leads the national government headed by President Pedro Sanchez.

The same scenario played out in Extremadura in Dec. 2025 and Aragon in Feb., where early elections aimed for a PP majority but resulted in Vox gaining ground. However, the conservative party won both regions.

Alfonso Fernandez, the Castile and Leon president and PP candidate, faces Carlos Pollan, the Vox candidate, and Carlos Martinez, the PSOE candidate, in an election campaign where immigration is the central issue.

Vox broke its coalition with the PP in 2024 due to disagreements over the reception of unaccompanied foreign minors, while the PSOE defends the “right to stay” in the face of regional depopulation and emigration.

The text reads, “The population decline in Castile and Leon did not start yesterday. It’s a process that began under Franco and has continued in democracy. The day we start looking out for our own interests, things will change. Enough of putting up with everything. A future for Castile and Leon!”

According to the regional government, 8.4% of Castile and Leon’s population is foreign-born, compared to 14.1% nationwide. In rural areas, immigrants are essential for agriculture and livestock farming, key sectors in Castile and Leon.

Meanwhile, the PP faces criticism for its handling of last summer’s wildfires. The PSOE accuses Fernandez of “negligence” and “apathy” in the face of the serious damage suffered in the region.

The regional campaign included international issues, after President Sanchez revived the slogan “No to war” in response to the Israeli-U.S. conflict in Iran.

The debate also addressed the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the EU-Mercosur agreement. The PP and PSOE support the pact, while Vox opposes it, citing the impact on local farmers and ranchers.

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE

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