Sánchez’s Socialists suffer heavy loss in regional Spanish election

 

Sánchez’s Socialists suffer heavy loss in regional Spanish election

In a significant blow to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) suffered a heavy defeat in the Aragón snap regional election on Sunday, February 8, 2026. This follows a similarly historic loss in Extremadura in December 2025, marking the second major setback for the ruling party in just two months.

 

Key Results in Aragón (Feb 8, 2026)

PSOE Loss: The Socialists, led by regional candidate Pilar Alegría, dropped to 18 seats from 23 in the 67-seat assembly.

Conservative Lead: The center-right People's Party (PP) emerged as the winner with 26 seats.

Far-Right Surge: The far-right Vox party doubled its representation to 14 seats, solidifying its position as a "kingmaker" for any conservative coalition.

 

Context of the Defeat

The election was widely framed as a referendum on Sánchez's national government, which has been under intense pressure due to several factors:

Corruption & Scandals: Investigations into alleged kickback schemes involving former senior officials and family members have eroded voter trust.

Controversial Policies: Opposition parties successfully mobilized voters over national issues, including a contentious proposal to legalize half a million migrants.

Recent Misfortunes: Public dissatisfaction was further fueled by two train crashes in January that caused nationwide rail chaos and left 47 people dead.

 

Previous Loss in Extremadura (Dec 2025)

In the December 21, 2025, election in Extremadura—traditionally a Socialist stronghold—the PSOE fell to its worst-ever result in the region, securing only 18 of 65 seats (down from 28 in 2023).

Upcoming Elections

These results are part of a series of snap ballots called by the PP to challenge the national government's mandate. Further regional contests are scheduled for:

Castile and León: March 2026

Andalusia: June 2026