Spain and France Challenge the Status Quo With Elections

Local elections in France and a regional election in Spain on March 22 highlight the extent to which the crisis in Europe continues to transform the political landscape in many eurozone countries. In France, former President Nicolas Sarkozy's center-right Union for a Popular Movement, or UMP, received the most votes, but the anti-system National Front performed well. In Spain’s Andalusia region, the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party managed to remain in power, but the vote led to a more fragmented parliament as two anti-establishment parties emerged: the left-wing Podemos and the centrist Ciudadanos. Because Spain faces national elections in late 2015 and France is scheduled to hold its presidential election in 2017, these new forces will likely remain key actors in the political scenes of both countries.