{"id":1942790,"date":"2026-05-18T15:12:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1942790"},"modified":"2026-05-18T15:12:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T12:12:02","slug":"spain-keeps-tilting-right-despite-pedro-sanchezs-progressive-international-agenda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1942790","title":{"rendered":"Spain keeps tilting right despite Pedro S\u00e1nchez\u2019s progressive international agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/70\/00\/91\/1200x675_cmsv2_3d53e330-59f5-5556-b530-a130f4359584-9700091.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2894783-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894783\" data-cid=\"9763704\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894783-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/37\/04\/189x106_cmsv2_9af2a4e9-bfd1-5b26-a431-9b9e9051e6fc-9763704.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Spain's former Prime Minister Jos\u00e9 Luis Rodriguez Zapatero speaks to journalists in La Paz, 12 May, 2022\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spanish ex-PM Zapatero under investigation for influence peddling\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894806-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894806\" data-cid=\"9763732\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894806-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/37\/32\/189x106_cmsv2_9aa2e4a5-2918-5aea-ad6f-ea06393bf77f-9763732.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"People wash their hands at the entrance to a hospital in Bunia, Congo, Sunday, May 17, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    WHO \u2018deeply concerned\u2019 at the scale of Congo\u2019s Ebola outbreak\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894587-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894587\" data-cid=\"9762499\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894587-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_07608c30-3b43-5a19-b341-e7e44503afdd-9762499.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A contract worker from Veracruz\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Could Central Asia help Europe address labour shortage concerns?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894791-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894791\" data-cid=\"9763656\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894791-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/36\/56\/189x106_cmsv2_4a974027-9f99-510d-a664-0da845b0403d-9763656.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"File- Elon Musk arrives at the U.S. District Court in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, April 28, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Elon Musk&#8217;s loses OpenAI case after he waited too long to sue\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894783-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894783\" data-cid=\"9763704\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894783-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/37\/04\/189x106_cmsv2_9af2a4e9-bfd1-5b26-a431-9b9e9051e6fc-9763704.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Spain's former Prime Minister Jos\u00e9 Luis Rodriguez Zapatero speaks to journalists in La Paz, 12 May, 2022\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spanish ex-PM Zapatero under investigation for influence peddling\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894806-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894806\" data-cid=\"9763732\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894806-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/37\/32\/189x106_cmsv2_9aa2e4a5-2918-5aea-ad6f-ea06393bf77f-9763732.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"People wash their hands at the entrance to a hospital in Bunia, Congo, Sunday, May 17, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    WHO \u2018deeply concerned\u2019 at the scale of Congo\u2019s Ebola outbreak\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894587-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894587\" data-cid=\"9762499\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894587-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/24\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_07608c30-3b43-5a19-b341-e7e44503afdd-9762499.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A contract worker from Veracruz\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Could Central Asia help Europe address labour shortage concerns?\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894791-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894791\" data-cid=\"9763656\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894791-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/36\/56\/189x106_cmsv2_4a974027-9f99-510d-a664-0da845b0403d-9763656.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"File- Elon Musk arrives at the U.S. District Court in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, April 28, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Elon Musk&#8217;s loses OpenAI case after he waited too long to sue\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Spain keeps tilting right despite Pedro S\u00e1nchez\u2019s progressive international agenda<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/70\/00\/91\/1536x864_cmsv2_3d53e330-59f5-5556-b530-a130f4359584-9700091.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speak to the press in Brussels \"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speak to the press in Brussels<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspMaria Tadeo\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1779117122\">\n                    Published on                 <time datetime=\"2026-05-18 17:12:02 +02:00\">18\/05\/2026 &#8211; 17:12 GMT+2<\/time><span class=\"c-article-publication-date__bullet\">\u2022<\/span>Updated<br \/>\n                                     <time datetime=\"21:44\">21:44<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\" class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-close.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"Close Button\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-partage-commentaire-close\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content u-display-flex\">\n<div id=\"partage-commentaire-popup-content-container\" class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup__content__container u-display-flex\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-facebook.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"facebook\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-facebook.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"facebook\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 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loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        A regional vote in Andalusia points to a rightward shift in Spanish politics, despite Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez\u2019s international push to position the country at the centre of progressive politics.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>A series of regional votes, capped by a conservative win in Andalusia on Sunday, has cemented Spain\u2019s rightward shift, even as Pedro S\u00e1nchez builds his international profile as the leader of the progressive left in defiance of President Donald Trump. <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Successive regional votes in Aragon, Castilla y Le\u00f3n and Andalusia this year saw Spain\u2019s Socialist Party lose seats, with the conservative People\u2019s Party coming out on top and the hard-right Vox emerging as kingmaker. <\/p>\n<p>The ballots paint a complex picture of Spanish society, where the coexistence of the mainstream right, backed by the hard right, is becoming the norm at regional level. <\/p>\n<p>The successive defeats of the Spanish Socialists, including candidates backed by S\u00e1nchez, point to a protest vote and, to a certain degree, a popular rejection of the progressive agenda pushed by the government in Madrid. <\/p>\n<p>That contrasts with the international profile S\u00e1nchez has built for himself and the country as one of the last bastions of progressive ideals in Europe in the age of MAGA politics. <\/p>\n<p>S\u00e1nchez is also one of the last left-leaning prime ministers still in office in the EU after Denmark&#8217;s Mette Frederiksen failed to form a government earlier this year. <\/p>\n<p>The results underscore a political phenomenon in relation to S\u00e1nchez, pointing to a stark divide between his perception abroad and his image at home. While this can be often the case for most senior politicians in Brussels, in his case, the gap is remarkable.<\/p>\n<p>S\u00e1nchez is often praised internationally for his independent foreign policy on Gaza, his stance towards Donald Trump and his growing influence on progressive politics globally. Yet at home, he is highly polarising and his foreign agenda is often overshadowed by the fragility of his government and legal probes involving his family, which he denies.<\/p>\n<p>In Madrid, his Socialist administration has increased pensions, raised the minimum wage, and recently initiated a process to regularise half a million immigrants living in the country, in what his government has described as an opportunity for a &#8220;dignified&#8221; life. <\/p>\n<p>Spain has also expanded its diplomatic network under his watch to play a bigger role in international diplomacy. <\/p>\n<p>A diplomatic Spanish source told Euronews that S\u00e1nchez has managed to position Spain as a bridge, engaging with Latin America, the Arab world and, increasingly, China. His critics say he has not used this influence to deliver any meaningful benefits for Spain or Europe<\/p>\n<h2>Regional politics hardly measure electoral success<\/h2>\n<p>While the Socialist Party has lost most of its territorial power outside of Catalonia, S\u00e1nchez has a track record of performing stronger at national level. <\/p>\n<p>In 2023, after a disastrous regional ballot across the country, the Spanish prime minister called a snap election, to the surprise of international commentators. <\/p>\n<p>His goal of stopping a \u2018blue wave\u2019 from sweeping Spain \u2014 a reference to the colour associated with the conservative People\u2019s Party \u2014 was largely successful. <\/p>\n<p>While the Socialists lost the general election, coming in second, they narrowed the gap with the People\u2019s Party and managed to form a government by bringing together all forces of the opposition, from hard left to smaller nationalist parties and pro-independence politicians<\/p>\n<p>As a parliamentary democracy, it is not necessarily the largest party in terms of votes, but the one able to command a majority in parliament, that gets to govern in Spain. <\/p>\n<p>His entourage hopes the same strategy can be applied in 2027, when Spaniards are due to vote, banking on his ability to repeatedly mobilise his progressive base by campaigning against the prospect of a hard-right government involving the People\u2019s Party and Vox, which polls suggest is a plausible scenario. <\/p>\n<p>S\u00e1nchez argues that a union of the right would lead to a rollback of social rights and the introduction of more conservative social policies.<\/p>\n<p>But he is facing hurdles, with his government unable to pass basic laws.<\/p>\n<p>Madrid has not updated its national budget since 2023, lacking parliamentary support to approve new figures. Financial markets have largely ignored these issues, as the Spanish economy is largely outperforming its European peers.<\/p>\n<p>S\u00e1nchez is also somewhat affected by an element of fatigue in public opinion; he is now the second-longest-serving leader in Spain\u2019s democratic history, in office since 2018 after he successfully led a vote of no confidence against the opposition.<\/p>\n<p>Sources close to the Spanish PM say he is determined to run again next year, and there has been no talk of a potential candidate to replace him. As Secretary General of the party, he has also removed both allies and foes over the years.<\/p>\n<p>In an autobiography published in 2019 titled <em>Manual de Resistencia<\/em>, he hinted at his biggest personal strength: being able to resist and stay put come what may.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Spanish PM S\u00e1nchez&#8217;s party suffers historic loss in key Andalusia regional election<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Spanish ex-PM Zapatero under investigation for alleged influence peddling, court says<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Money, love and murder: Mango founder&#8217;s son arrested for alleged murder of his father<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Spain<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Spanish elections<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Pedro S\u00e1nchez<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div 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class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894796\" data-cid=\"9763719\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894796-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/36\/88\/320x180_cmsv2_89828968-863b-54ca-9cff-f0629c042d63-9763688.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Isak Andic, owner of Mango.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Money, love and murder: the Mango founder case that shocked Spain<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894761-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894761\" data-cid=\"9763517\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure 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class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iran has responded to latest US peace proposal, Tehran official says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894489-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894489\" data-cid=\"9762020\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Japan arrests Americans over stunt at baby monkey Punch&#8217;s zoo<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894416-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894416\" data-cid=\"9761748\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s poverty divide: Which cities and regions are most at risk?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893969-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893969\" data-cid=\"9759994\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Poland\u2019s hydrogen buses confront high fuel costs, new report claims<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894536-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894536\" data-cid=\"9762275\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Magyar signals openness to Ukraine accession talks after Orb\u00e1n exit<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">A series of regional votes, capped by a conservative win in Andalusia on Sunday, has cemented Spain\u2019s rightward shift, even as Pedro S\u00e1nchez builds his international profile as the leader of the progressive left in defiance of President Donald Trump.Successive regional votes in Aragon, Castilla y Le\u00f3n and Andalusia this year saw Spain\u2019s Socialist Party lose seats, with the conservative People\u2019s Party coming out on top and the hard-right Vox emerging as kingmaker.The ballots paint a complex picture of Spanish society, where the coexistence of the mainstream right, backed by the hard right, is becoming the norm at regional level.The successive defeats of the Spanish Socialists, including candidates backed by S\u00e1nchez, point to a protest vote and, to a certain degree, a popular rejection of the progressive agenda pushed by the government in Madrid.That contrasts with the international profile S\u00e1nchez has built for himself and the country as one of the last bastions of progressive ideals in Europe in the age of MAGA politics.S\u00e1nchez is also one of the last left-leaning prime ministers still in office in the EU after Denmark&#8217;s Mette Frederiksen failed to form a government earlier this year.The results underscore a political phenomenon in relation to S\u00e1nchez, pointing to a stark divide between his perception abroad and his image at home. While this can be often the case for most senior politicians in Brussels, in his case, the gap is remarkable.S\u00e1nchez is often praised internationally for his independent foreign policy on Gaza, his stance towards Donald Trump and his growing influence on progressive politics globally. Yet at home, he is highly polarising and his foreign agenda is often overshadowed by the fragility of his government and legal probes involving his family, which he denies.In Madrid, his Socialist administration has increased pensions, raised the minimum wage, and recently initiated a process to regularise half a million immigrants living in the country, in what his government has described as an opportunity for a &#8220;dignified&#8221; life.Spain has also expanded its diplomatic network under his watch to play a bigger role in international diplomacy.A diplomatic Spanish source told Euronews that S\u00e1nchez has managed to position Spain as a bridge, engaging with Latin America, the Arab world and, increasingly, China. His critics say he has not used this influence to deliver any meaningful benefits for Spain or EuropeRegional politics hardly measure electoral successWhile the Socialist Party has lost most of its territorial power outside of Catalonia, S\u00e1nchez has a track record of performing stronger at national level.In 2023, after a disastrous regional ballot across the country, the Spanish prime minister called a snap election, to the surprise of international commentators.His goal of stopping a \u2018blue wave\u2019 from sweeping Spain \u2014 a reference to the colour associated with the conservative People\u2019s Party \u2014 was largely successful.While the Socialists lost the general election, coming in second, they narrowed the gap with the People\u2019s Party and managed to form a government by bringing together all forces of the opposition, from hard left to smaller nationalist parties and pro-independence politiciansAs a parliamentary democracy, it is not necessarily the largest party in terms of votes, but the one able to command a majority in parliament, that gets to govern in Spain.His entourage hopes the same strategy can be applied in 2027, when Spaniards are due to vote, banking on his ability to repeatedly mobilise his progressive base by campaigning against the prospect of a hard-right government involving the People\u2019s Party and Vox, which polls suggest is a plausible scenario.S\u00e1nchez argues that a union of the right would lead to a rollback of social rights and the introduction of more conservative social policies.But he is facing hurdles, with his government unable to pass basic laws.Madrid has not updated its national budget since 2023, lacking parliamentary support to approve new figures. Financial markets have largely ignored these issues, as the Spanish economy is largely outperforming its European peers.S\u00e1nchez is also somewhat affected by an element of fatigue in public opinion; he is now the second-longest-serving leader in Spain\u2019s democratic history, in office since 2018 after he successfully led a vote of no confidence against the opposition.Sources close to the Spanish PM say he is determined to run again next year, and there has been no talk of a potential candidate to replace him. 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Tech News Elon Musk&#8217;s loses OpenAI case after he waited too long to sue Europe News Spanish ex-PM Zapatero under [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1942790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1942790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1942790"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1942790\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1942790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1942790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1942790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}