Now the urgent thing is to wait.

MadridThe thermometer is already ticking. This Sunday we'll have the first data on the current electoral climate. Extremadura votes, and it will give us a snapshot of the mood of society in that autonomous community. Each region has its own characteristics, but this initial approach to the new election cycle is particularly interesting, both because of how the campaign has unfolded and because it will allow us to draw conclusions about the state of the political forces. The decline of the PSOE is a given, and it remains to be seen whether it will truly approach catastrophic figures. However, the Socialists have resolved to prevent the defeat from turning into depression. If the PP doesn't achieve an absolute majority, the main focus will most likely be on the negotiations between the Popular Party and Vox to form the new regional government. The agreed-upon terms and the price paid by the PP to achieve this will have to be examined in detail. Along with the reactions to the Socialist decline, the attempt at recomposition of the center-right will, in fact, be the most closely watched. The PSOE's electoral ordeal in the coming months is more than predictable. But the Socialists have opted to heed the adage that the urgent thing now is to wait, attributed to Pío Cabanillas, a former minister under Franco, dismissed by Franco himself, later a driving force behind Adolfo Suárez's UCD party and, finally, the PP. The Prime Minister doesn't want to make changes to his team, except, for now, for Pilar Alegría's departure as the candidate for the presidency of Aragon. The Socialists want the new electoral cycle to progress and settle scores once they see what the alliance between the Popular Party and Vox is capable of, wherever they form a coalition, given what it might represent for the next general elections. For now, nothing will break down, although the government will continue to face many difficulties in relaunching the activity of a Parliament now without stable agreements.

The rigged election theory

Regarding the elections in Extremadura, the most regrettable aspect was the controversy surrounding the alleged robbery at the Fuente de Cantos (Badajoz) post office, which resulted in the loss of 124 ballots stored in the safe. This loss, however, was not actually realized, as the affected citizens were able to exercise their right to vote again. Spending the final hours of the campaign denouncing the attempted "theft of democracy" is ridiculous. And it's unlikely to have boosted the Popular Party's expectations. Furthermore, some of the comments added to the news article are very representative of the current political climate. A spokesperson for the PP headquarters in Madrid said regarding the implications of the robbery that "suspicions are growing due to the context that former Socialist Party member Leire Díez worked at Correos (the Spanish postal service) and that Sánchez appointed someone with party ties to head Correos," referring to Juanma Serrano, Sánchez's former chief of staff. Leire Díez's shadow may loom larger—in fact, she is being investigated by the National Court—but linking the robbery at the office to the activities of the well-known plumber The PSOE's conclusion is taking things too far. What the Civil Guard has reported is that they consider the incident a case of common crime, and that the perpetrators' loot consisted of 14,000 euros kept in the safe.

Hopefully, the elections in Aragon, Castile and León, and Andalusia will avoid falling into this type of speculation, given the damage that questioning an electoral process can do to the system's credibility. After the previous elections, María Guardiola took some initial steps with a strong image of authority and refused to form a coalition with Vox. But then the PP leadership forced her to backtrack, and the experience of governing with the far right ended badly. Vox left the Extremadura regional government, and, as a summary of all this, Guardiola did what the Italians graphically describe as "dirty "figure." In this campaign, he has made a serious mistake by refusing to participate in a televised debate with the other candidates. And we can add the episode of the cousin he had hired as his official car driver, when he was registered in VioGén, the comprehensive system for monitoring cases of gender violence, who was convicted of coercing his ex-partner. ~BK_SLT_L

Within the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), the harassment cases have caused an earthquake and a loss of credibility for the socialists' feminist discourse. However, the accusations have quickly spread to other parties, including the PP (People's Party) and Vox. The only positive aspect of this phenomenon is that it will bring about a change in the attitude of political forces, which can no longer afford passivity. We are on the verge of a broader, cultural shift that will permeate society as a whole. There may always be cases of coercion and aggression, but the accusations cannot be ignored, nor can the established facts be covered up.

Meanwhile, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, continues to focus particularly on his international agenda. He keeps insisting that his term extends until 2027. That is what he must say, until he decides otherwise. A growing number of people are calling for elections if the 2026 budget is not approved, given the ongoing investigations into the activities of the Cerdán-Ábalos-Koldo triangle.

The first man's parliamentary appearance consisted of a self-defense and counterattack from which he will not gain much advantage. The Central Operational Unit (UCO) of the Civil Guard is finalizing a particularly relevant report on Cerdán's assets. Now the People's Party (PP) has decided to take things a step further and target former President Zapatero. He will be summoned to the Senate to be questioned about the bailout of the airline Plus Ultra. He must attend, even though the investigative committee is not exactly a model of seriousness. But it represents an opportunity to respond to accusations and insinuations, explaining the nature of his relationship with that company and its executives. Furthermore, those who make accusations without any proof must be held accountable.