The leader of the PSOE in Extremadura will resign after the electoral debacle.

MadridLess than 24 hours after the Electoral defeat of the PSOE in ExtremaduraThe first consequences are arriving. This afternoon, the Extremadura Socialists are holding a regional executive meeting to analyze the worst results in the region's history—they lost ten seats compared to 2023 and fell seventeen points short of the People's Party (PP)—and to evaluate the next steps. According to some media outlets, Miguel Ángel Gallardo will resign as the party's regional leader. His stepping aside comes after the first voices calling for his resignation. The first to voice criticism was the president of the Cáceres Provincial Council, Miguel Ángel Morales, who also criticized Gallardo's candidacy in the elections after being prosecuted for malfeasance and influence peddling Regarding Pedro Sánchez's brother, he declared: "The results have been a complete disaster, an unmitigated disaster, a resounding failure. There is no justification that can be offered." "He should apologize and resign," he demanded. Meanwhile, the PSOE's federal leadership in Ferraz has avoided commenting. "It's time to reflect and let our colleagues draw their own conclusions and make the decisions they deem appropriate," stated party spokesperson Montse Mínguez, who praised the "good work" done by the Socialist candidate.

Meanwhile, in Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, the baron More critical of Pedro Sánchez, he has asked the PSOE to engage in "self-criticism" after the electoral debacle: "There are plenty of excuses, alibis, and strategies to divert attention, as well as attempts at self-justification that lead to self-deception." Likewise, despite the reaction from Miguel Ángel Gallardo and the PSOE headquarters in Ferraz to discredit the PP's results and María Guardiola's strategy of calling early elections, the president of Castilla-La Mancha has acknowledged that the Popular Party's victory was "clear and undeniable."

Crossed messages between the PP and Vox

Now all eyes are on the People's Party (PP) and Vox, and the possibility of a new agreement between the two parties. Initially, the PP is boasting that the results offer a scenario of less dependence on the far right, arguing that María Guardiola only needs an abstention to be invested as president and to pass the budget. But, in parallel, Santiago Abascal reminds the PP headquarters in Madrid (Génova) that they have doubled their results, a figure they will emphasize if they enter the equation: "It doesn't matter what they ask of us. If Vox is involved in any way, it will be for a major change in Extremadura." However, PP sources insist that "the deadlock has been reduced" and that the only way to derail the future PP government is for Vox to "vote with Podemos." Be that as it may, Abascal warns the PP that its voters cannot be "made invisible, nor betrayed", he urges María Guardiola to "make a move" and, for the moment, does not reveal his demands: "The ball is in their court, we are not locked into any possibility and no hypothesis is ruled out."

Abascal said this while the PP was gathering its supporters. males At the party headquarters on Génova Street, they celebrated their victory this Monday in Madrid. In a scene befitting a grand occasion—with Feijóo greeting Guardiola at the entrance and applause from the staff—the Popular Party is attempting to portray the election results as a success. The PP leader has spoken of an "undeniable victory," and María Guardiola, of a "resounding one," despite falling four seats short of an absolute majority and still needing the constant support of Vox—which called elections after failing to reach an agreement with the far-right party over the budget. The Popular Party candidate believes that bringing forward the elections "was worth it" and encourages Vox to make a "sensible interpretation" of the results. An invitation that Abascal has not received well and has attributed to the "arrogance" of the baroness From the PP.

Feijóo believes the elections have been "clarifying," asks the far right and the PSOE not to make "capricious interpretations," and invites Abascal's party to act with "responsibility and proportionality." "I hope Vox understands what the majority of Spaniards who longed for change are asking of us and that they never again choose the wrong adversary," he stated. And what does he think of the growth of Santiago Abascal's party? He presented it as a "great success" for the PSOE and urged the Socialists to "accept the failure of their narrative," based on "feeding fear" of Vox: "The cliché of the right and the far right no longer works."

The PSOE fires at a PP "handcuffed" to Vox

On the other hand, Feijóo believes that the elections in Extremadura "triggered a domino effect that won't stop" and revealed an "irreversible decline" for the PSOE that "has only just begun." "Spaniards don't want any more of 'Sanchismo,'" he added. The PSOE's interpretation, of course, is diametrically opposed: "We'll laugh. What [Feijóo] would want more than for it to be the end of 'Sanchismo,'" replied Montse Mínguez. From Ferraz (the PSOE headquarters), the interpretation of the elections is a fierce attack on the PP (People's Party) due to Vox's strong growth. The Socialists admit that it's a "bad result" for them, but they focus their assessment of the elections on the fact that the PP remains "handcuffed" to Vox and feels "hostage" to the far right: "The PP's surrender to Vox has won; Feijóo has no future without Abascal." Furthermore, despite the electoral setback, Mínguez assures that the PSOE is "stronger than ever" and that Sánchez's project is still "alive".

Speaking on behalf of Sumar, spokesperson Lara Hernández believes the PP's strategy has backfired "very badly" because, like the PSOE, she feels "more tied than ever" to Vox. She blamed the PSOE's "inertia" and "lack of ambition" for the poor election results: "Fear and simply resisting are useless; the far-right offensive is defeated with rights."