SPAIN: AT THE START OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN – 2023

Abstract

The article analyzes the domestic political and economic results of 2022 in Spain on the eve of the start of the campaign for elections to local and autonomous authorities, as well as to the national parliament of the country. The stabilization of the socio-economic situation became possible in the context of unprecedented financial assistance from the European Union, as well as thanks to the active policy of social interventionism of the center-left government of Spain. Despite the relative internal political stability against the background of negative processes in the leading EU countries, there is no guarantee of maintaining positive dynamics in the economy and social sphere due to the country’s excessive dependence on the economic conjuncture of the European Union. The situation is aggravated by the persistence of the general crisis of the Spanish political system, which has developed because of the compromises of the post-Franco democratic transit period. Against the background of a complex and contradictory situation with the alignment of domestic political forces, the leading Spanish parties have actually come to a consensus in the field of foreign policy based on unconditional loyalty to the common line of the West. This position of the country’s leading parties contradicts the ideas about the national interests of Spain, formed by a significant part of the electorate, both left and right wing. Taking into account the real domestic political and economic situation, as well as due to the weak influence of the foreign policy factor on the Spanish electorate, the author concludes that following the results of the 2023 election campaign in Spain, no political party in the country will be able to form a stable parliamentary majority. Thus, the situation of increasing domestic political instability seems to be real, which could open the way to national politics for new forces capable of reorienting the country’s foreign policy in accordance with the sentiments of a significant part of Spanish voters.