ASSESSMENTS

In Spain, Elections Won't Shield Madrid from Economic and Political Headwinds

Mar 27, 2019 | 09:00 GMT

Deputies meet on June 14, 2017, in Madrid's Congress of Deputies. The country's government lost a vote of no-confidence.

(OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

The Spanish general election on April 28 could lead to a divided parliament and long coalition talks, highlighting the uncertainty about the country's policy direction and questions over whether its former economic resilience will persist.
The next administration in Madrid will also have to deal with unresolved disputes with Catalonia and an uneven economic recovery.
The lengthy negotiations to form a government and domestic issues could reduce Spain's influence in EU affairs in a year when the leaders of some of the most important Continental institutions will be appointed.

Spain will hold an early general election on April 28 called by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez after the Spanish parliament rejected his budget proposals for 2019, forcing his minority Socialist government to resign. The elections come at a time of increasing fragmentation and polarization in Spanish politics, creating uncertainty regarding the future of Spanish domestic and foreign policy. But no matter who ultimately takes charge, the next administration in Madrid will be forced to cope with political, economic and foreign policy challenges ranging from separatism in Catalonia to an uneven economic recovery....

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