2023 Spanish general election

The Spanish {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} were envisaged as an imperfect bicameral system. The Congress of Deputies had greater legislative power than the Senate, having the ability to vote confidence in or withdraw it from a prime minister and to override Senate vetoes by an absolute majority of votes. Nonetheless, the Senate possessed a few exclusive (yet limited in number) functions—such as its role in constitutional amendment—which were not subject to the Congress' override.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 66}}.{{cite web |url=https://app.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/sinopsis/sinopsis.jsp?art=66&tipo=2 |title=Sinopsis artículo 66 |language=es |publisher=Congress of Deputies |access-date=12 September 2020 |postscript=,}} summarizing {{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 66}}. Voting for the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. I, art. 2}}.{{sfn|Carreras de Odriozola|Tafunell Sambola|2005|p=1077}} Amendments to the electoral law in 2022 abolished the "begged" or expat vote system ({{langx|es|voto rogado}}), under which Spaniards abroad were required to apply for voter registration before being permitted to vote.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. VI, art. 75}}.{{cite web |last=Reig Pellicer |first=Naiara |date=16 December 2015 |url=http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/politics/article/spanish-elections-begging-for-the-right-to-vote.html |title=Spanish elections: Begging for the right to vote |website=cafebabel.co.uk |access-date=17 July 2017 |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831202218/https://cafebabel.com/en/article/spanish-elections-begging-for-the-right-to-vote-5ae00a98f723b35a145e6867/ |url-status=live}} The expat vote system was attributed responsibility for a major decrease in the turnout of Spaniards abroad during the years it had been in force.{{cite news |last=Araque Conde |first=Pilar |date=8 June 2022 |title=El Congreso acaba con el voto rogado: diez años de trabas burocráticas para los residentes en el extranjero |url=https://www.publico.es/politica/congreso-acaba-voto-rogado-diez-anos-trabas-burocraticas-residentes-extranjero.html |language=es |newspaper=Público |location=Madrid |access-date=31 July 2022}}

For the Congress of Deputies, 348 seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list, proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency. Seats were allocated to constituencies, corresponding to the provinces of Spain, with each being allocated an initial minimum of two seats and the remaining 248 being distributed in proportion to their populations. Ceuta and Melilla were allocated the two remaining seats, which were elected using plurality voting.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 68}}.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. II, ch. III, art. 162–164}}. The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.{{cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Michael |date=30 July 2012 |url=http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |title=Effective threshold in electoral systems |publisher=Trinity College, Dublin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730092518/http://www.tcd.ie/Political_Science/staff/michael_gallagher/ElSystems/Docts/effthresh.php |access-date=22 July 2017 |archive-date=30 July 2017}}

As a result of the aforementioned allocation, each Congress multi-member constituency was entitled the following seats:{{cite journal |journal=Boletín Oficial del Estado |issue=128 |date=30 May 2023 |pages=74164–74167 |issn=0212-033X |title=Real Decreto 400/2023, de 29 de mayo, de disolución del Congreso de los Diputados y del Senado y de convocatoria de elecciones |url=https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2023/05/30/pdfs/BOE-A-2023-12663.pdf |language=es |access-date=30 May 2023}}

For the Senate, 208 seats were elected using a partial block voting system, with electors voting for individual candidates instead of parties. In constituencies electing four seats, electors could vote for up to three candidates; in those with two or three seats, for up to two candidates; and for one candidate in single-member districts. Each of the 47 peninsular provinces was allocated four seats, whereas for insular provinces, such as the Balearic and Canary Islands, districts were the islands themselves, with the larger—Majorca, Gran Canaria and Tenerife—being allocated three seats each, and the smaller—Menorca, Ibiza–Formentera, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, El Hierro, Lanzarote and La Palma—one each. Ceuta and Melilla elected two seats each. Additionally, autonomous communities could appoint at least one senator each and were entitled to one additional senator per each million inhabitants.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 69}}.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. II, ch. III, art. 162 & 165–166}}.

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacated seats; instead, any vacancies that occurred after the proclamation of candidates and into the legislature's term were to be covered by the successive candidates in the list and, when needed, by the designated substitutes, of which the list could include up to ten.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. VI, art. 46 & 48}}.

The term of each chamber of the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}}—the Congress and the Senate—expired four years from the date of their previous election, unless they were dissolved earlier. The election decree was required to be issued no later than the twenty-fifth day prior to the date of expiry of parliament and published on the following day in the Official State Gazette (BOE), with election day taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. V, art. 42}}. The previous election was held on 10 November 2019, which meant that the legislature's term would have expired on 10 November 2023. The election decree was required to be published in the BOE no later than 17 October 2023, with the election taking place on the fifty-fourth day from publication, setting the latest possible election date for the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} on Sunday, 10 December 2023.{{cite news |last1=Sánchez |first1=Manuel |last2=Romero |first2=Alexis |date=20 November 2021 |url=https://www.publico.es/politica/tres-escenarios-elecciones-generales-2023-fecha-limite-10-diciembre.html |title=Tres escenarios para las elecciones generales de 2023, con la fecha límite del 10 de diciembre |language=es |newspaper=Público |access-date=21 November 2021}}

The prime minister had the prerogative to propose the monarch to dissolve both chambers at any given time—either jointly or separately—and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process, no state of emergency was in force and that dissolution did not occur before one year had elapsed since the previous one.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. IV, art. 115–116}}. Additionally, both chambers were to be dissolved and a new election called if an investiture process failed to elect a prime minister within a two-month period from the first ballot.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. IV, art. 99}}. Barred this exception, there was no constitutional requirement for simultaneous elections to the Congress and the Senate. Still, as of {{Currentyear}}, there has been no precedent of separate elections taking place under the 1978 Constitution.

Following his party's defeat in the 2021 Madrilenian regional election, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez commented that there were still "32 months to go" ahead of the next general election, which meant that the election date was implied to be tentatively scheduled for January 2024.{{cite news |agency=Europa Press |date=10 May 2021 |url=https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/nacional/2021/05/10/sanchez-pide-aprender-de-los-errores-del-4m-con-humildad-pero-recuerda-aun-quedan-32-meses-para-las-generales-1491110.html |title=Sánchez pide "aprender de los errores" del 4M con "humildad" pero recuerda aún quedan 32 meses para las generales |language=es |newspaper=Heraldo de Aragón |access-date=9 October 2021}} This opened questions on the maximum timetable for holding a new election, with legal interpretations up until that point considering that the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} expiry date was set four years from the previous election;{{cite news |last=Garat |first=Ketty |date=11 May 2021 |url=https://www.libertaddigital.com/espana/politica/2021-05-11/sanchez-se-asegura-el-armazon-juridico-para-poder-estirar-la-legislatura-hasta-enero-de-2024-6754734/ |title=Sánchez se asegura el 'armazón jurídico' para poder estirar la legislatura hasta enero de 2024 |language=es |newspaper=Libertad Digital |access-date=9 October 2021}}{{cite news |last=Vilches |first=Jorge |date=17 July 2021 |url=https://www.larazon.es/opinion/20210718/pornj6sf75al3jltekvap66csu.html |title=Sánchez hasta el final |language=es |newspaper=La Razón |access-date=9 October 2021}} however, an interpretation that considered that the four-year timetable started counting from the chamber's first assembly or from the prime minister's investiture could push the election date into January or February 2024.{{cite news |last=Elordi Cué |first=Carlos |date=19 July 2021 |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2021-07-19/sanchez-se-prepara-ya-para-2024.html |title=Sánchez se prepara ya para 2024 |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=9 October 2021}}{{cite news |last=Calleja |first=Mariano |date=8 October 2021 |url=https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-pp-cree-sanchez-alargara-legislatura-hasta-febrero-2024-202110081350_noticia.html |title=El PP cree que Sánchez alargará la legislatura al máximo hasta febrero de 2024 |language=es |newspaper=ABC |location=Madrid |access-date=9 October 2021}} On 2 August 2022, Sánchez himself dispelled any doubts on this issue by announcing that the election would be held in December 2023,{{cite news |date=2 August 2022 |url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-sanchez-fecha-generales-diciembre-2023-pactara-zarzuela-jura-constitucion-princesa-20220802150736.html |title=Sánchez fecha las generales en diciembre de 2023 y pactará con Zarzuela la jura de la Constitución de la princesa |language=es |publisher=Europa Press |location=Palma |access-date=27 September 2022}} a position reiterated on 27 March 2023 when he said that there were still "nine months left" in the current parliamentary term.{{cite news |date=27 March 2023 |url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-sanchez-habla-nueve-meses-legislatura-implicaria-elecciones-generales-10-diciembre-20230327140656.html |title=Sánchez habla de "nueve meses" de legislatura, lo que implicaría elecciones generales el 3 o el 10 de diciembre |language=es |publisher=Europa Press |location=Madrid |access-date=8 April 2023}}

After the 28 May 2023 regional and local elections, Sánchez announced the following day that the general election would be held on 23 July, with the election decree being published in the BOE the day after.{{cite news |date=29 May 2023 |title=Pedro Sánchez adelanta las elecciones generales al 23 de julio |language=es |trans-title=Pedro Sánchez advances general elections to 23 July |publisher=Cadena SER |url=https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2023/05/29/pedro-sanchez-adelanta-las-elecciones-generales-al-23-de-julio-cadena-ser/ |access-date=29 May 2023}}{{cite web |date=26 June 2023 |title=Spain Early Parliamentary Elections 23 July 2023 |url=https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/0/2/547184.pdf |language=en |website=OSCE |page=7 |access-date=23 July 2023}} With only Sánchez's inner circle having prior knowledge of the announcement before it was made,{{cite news |date=29 May 2023 |title=Sorpresa en el PSOE por un adelanto electoral que solo conocía el "núcleo duro" de Sánchez |language=es |trans-title=Surprise inside PSOE over a snap election that only Sánchez's "inner circle" knew about |newspaper=Diario de Navarra |url=https://www.diariodenavarra.es/noticias/actualidad/nacional/2023/05/29/sorpresa-el-psoe-adelanto-electoral-conocia-el-nucleo-duro-sanchez-570259-1031.html |access-date=29 May 2023}} political parties from across the spectrum were caught by surprise,{{cite news |date=29 May 2023 |title=Recalculando ruta: las claves de unas elecciones anticipadas con las que Sánchez rompe el tablero |language=es |trans-title=Recalculating the route: the key points to snap elections where Sánchez breaks the board |publisher=laSexta |url=https://www.lasexta.com/programas/lasexta-clave/recalculando-ruta-claves-elecciones-anticipadas-que-sanchez-rompe-tablero_202305296474f8905199f300018b983e.html |access-date=29 May 2023}} with PP leaders in particular reportedly feeling upset over the election call as it prevented them from capitalising on their gains in the previous day's elections.{{cite news |date=29 May 2023 |url=https://www.lainformacion.com/economia-negocios-y-finanzas/enfado-pp-adelanto-electoral-considerar-quita-foco-victoria/2886917/ |title=Enfado en el PP por el adelanto electoral al considerar que quita el foco a su victoria |trans-title=Upset in the PP over snap election considering that it shifts focus away from their victory |language=es |newspaper=La Información |access-date=29 May 2023}} The IBEX 35 stock index also reacted negatively to the surprise election call.{{cite news |last=De Antonio |first=Javier |date=29 May 2023 |url=https://www.larazon.es/economia/ibex-35-gustan-sorpresas-cae-inmediatamente-despues-anuncio-electoral-sanchez_20230529647488c03d23000001391c42.html |title=Al Ibex 35 no le gustan las sorpresas: cae inmediatamente después del anuncio electoral de Sánchez |trans-title=At the Ibex 35 they don't like surprises: falls immediately after Sánchez's electoral announcement |language=es |newspaper=La Razón |access-date=29 May 2023}} The {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} were officially dissolved on 30 May 2023 after the publication of the dissolution decree in the BOE, setting the election date for 23 July and scheduling for both chambers to reconvene on 17 August. This was the first time such an election was held in July since the 1839 Spanish general election.{{cite news |last=Justo |first=David |date=30 May 2023 |title="Muchísimas gracias, presidente": lo que no viste de la reacción viral de Àngels Barceló tras la fecha de las elecciones generales |trans-title="Thank you very much, Mr. President": what you didn't see from the viral reaction of Àngels Barceló after the date of the general elections |url=https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2023/05/30/muchisimas-gracias-presidente-lo-que-no-viste-de-la-reaccion-viral-de-angels-barcelo-tras-la-fecha-de-las-elecciones-generales-cadena-ser/ |language=es |publisher=Cadena SER |access-date=30 May 2023}}

The tables below show the composition of the parliamentary groups in both chambers at the time of dissolution.{{cite web |url=https://www.historiaelectoral.com/grups.html |title=Grupos Parlamentarios en el Congreso de los Diputados y el Senado |language=es |website=Historia Electoral.com |access-date=29 October 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.historiaelectoral.com/senado7.html |title=Composición del Senado 1977-{{year}} |language=es |website=Historia Electoral.com |access-date=29 October 2022}}

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Spanish citizens of age and with the legal capacity to vote could run for election, provided that they were not sentenced to imprisonment by a final court's decision nor convicted by a judgement, even if not yet final, which imposed a penalty of forfeiture of eligibility or of specific disqualification or suspension from public office under specific offences: rebellion, terrorism or other crimes against the state. Other general causes of ineligibility were imposed on members of the Spanish royal family; the president and members of the Constitutional Court, the General Council of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court, the Council of State, the Court of Auditors and the Economic and Social Council; the Ombudsman; the State's Attorney General; high-ranking members—undersecretaries, secretaries-general, directors-general and chiefs of staff—of Spanish government departments, the Prime Minister's Office, government delegations, the Social Security and other government agencies; heads of diplomatic missions in foreign states or international organizations; judges and public prosecutors in active service; Armed Forces and police corps personnel in active service; members of electoral commissions; the chair of RTVE; the director of the Electoral Register Office; the governor and deputy governor of the Bank of Spain; the chairs of the Official Credit Institute and other official credit institutions; and members of the Nuclear Safety Council; as well as a number of territorial-level officers in the aforementioned government bodies and institutions being barred from running, during their tenure of office, in constituencies within the whole or part of their respective area of jurisdiction.{{harvp|Const. Esp.|1978|loc=tit. III, ch. I, art. 70}}.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. II, art. 6}}. Disqualification provisions for the Cortes Generales extended to any employee of a foreign state and to members of regional governments, as well as the impossibility of running simultaneously as candidate for both the Congress and Senate.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. II, ch. I, art. 154}}.

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call, whereas groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least one percent of the electorate in the constituencies for which they sought election, disallowing electors from signing for more than one list of candidates. Concurrently, parties, federations or coalitions that had not obtained a mandate in either chamber of the Cortes at the preceding election were required to secure the signature of at least 0.1 percent of electors in the aforementioned constituencies.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. VI, art. 44 & tit. II, ch. V, art. 169}}. The electoral law provided for a special, simplified process for election re-runs, including a shortening of deadlines, electoral campaigning, the lifting of signature requirements if these had been already met for the immediately previous election and the possibility of maintaining lists and coalitions without needing to go through pre-election procedures again.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=add. prov. 7}}. Additionally, a balanced composition of men and women was required in the lists of candidates, so that candidates of either sex made up at least 40 percent of the total composition.{{harvp|LOREG|1985|loc=tit. I, ch. VI, art. 44 bis}}.

Below is a list of the main parties and electoral alliances which contested the election:

Internal disputes emerged within the People's Party (PP) following Isabel Díaz Ayuso's landslide victory in the 2021 Madrilenian election, as the president of the Community of Madrid came to be seen by a party sector as a better candidate than Pablo Casado to face off Pedro Sánchez in a general election.{{cite news |last=Mateo |first=Juan José |date=4 May 2021 |url=https://elpais.com/espana/elecciones-madrid/2021-05-04/diaz-ayuso-una-lider-aferrada-al-presente.html |title=Díaz Ayuso, de candidata desconocida a referente de la derecha |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=4 November 2021}}{{cite news |last=Riveiro |first=Aitor |date=13 September 2021 |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/ala-dura-aguirre-alvarez-toledo-alinea-ayuso-frente-casado_1_8296943.html |title=El ala dura de Aguirre y Álvarez de Toledo se alinea con Ayuso frente a Casado |language=es |newspaper=elDiario.es |access-date=4 November 2021}} The conflict came to a head from September 2021 when both sides clashed for the control of the People's Party of the Community of Madrid, with Ayuso's possible rise to the presidency of the regional PP being seen by Casado's supporters as an immediate threat to his national leadership.{{cite news |last=Caballero |first=Fátima |date=1 September 2021 |url=https://www.eldiario.es/madrid/ayuso-inaugura-curso-batalla-presidencia-pp-madrid_1_8264251.html |title=Ayuso inaugura el curso con otra batalla de poder: la presidencia del PP de Madrid |language=es |newspaper=elDiario.es |access-date=4 November 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Riveiro |first1=Aitor |last2=Caballero |first2=Fátima |date=3 November 2021 |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/guerra-total-casado-ayuso-control-pp-madrid_1_8452905.html |title=Guerra total entre Casado y Ayuso por el control del PP de Madrid |language=es |newspaper=elDiario.es |access-date=4 November 2021}} Following several months of a leadership that was perceived as poor and erratic, coupled with an erosion of popular support in opinion polls and a disappointing result in the 2022 Castilian-Leonese regional election, the crisis entered a new stage on 16 February 2022 when some media revealed an alleged plot of the party's national leadership to investigate Ayuso's family in search of compromising material—more specifically, alleged influence peddling in the awarding of public contracts to Ayuso's brother. After several days of public infighting between both Casado and Ayuso, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the president of the Regional Government of Galicia, was reported as having agreed with the latter and other party regional presidents to become the party's new leader and replace Casado, who was said to be willing to hold on until the party congress initially scheduled for July.{{cite news |last=García de Blas |first=Elsa |date=20 February 2022 |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2022-02-20/pablo-casado-resiste-pese-a-la-creciente-presion-de-los-barones-para-que-dimita.html |title=Pablo Casado resiste pese a la creciente presión de los barones para que dimita |language=es |newspaper=El País |access-date=21 February 2022}}{{cite news |last=Santos |first=Pilar |date=21 February 2022 |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20220221/ayuso-feijoo-fin-etapa-casado-crisis-pp-garcia-egea-13269067 |title=Ayuso y Feijóo acordaron anoche que la etapa de Casado ha finalizado |language=es |newspaper=El Periódico |access-date=21 February 2022}}{{cite news |last=Del Riego |first=Carmen |date=21 February 2022 |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20220221/8073129/feijoo-moreno-ayuso-manueco-alian-pedir-dimision-casado.html |title=Feijóo, Moreno, Ayuso y Mañueco se alían para pedir la dimisión de Casado |language=es |newspaper=La Vanguardia |location=Madrid |access-date=21 February 2022}} On 22 February, Casado's resignation was announced after he was abandoned by most of the party's leadership and public officers.

As a result of Pablo Iglesias's farewell from active politics in May 2021, Yolanda Díaz, the Minister of Labour and from July 2021 also the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Spain, came to be widely regarded as Iglesias's presumptive successor as prime ministerial candidate in the next general election. Díaz expressed her will to shape a new electoral platform transcending political parties, as well as the Unidas Podemos brand,{{cite news |last=Ramírez |first=Daniel |date=30 September 2021 |url=https://www.elespanol.com/espana/politica/20210930/yolanda-diaz-confirma-plataforma-trascienda-podemos-iu/615689654_0.html |title=Yolanda Díaz confirma que lanzará una plataforma que trascienda a Podemos, IU y el 15-M |language=es |newspaper=El Español |access-date=3 November 2021}}{{cite news |last=Ramírez |first=Daniel |date=12 October 2021 |url=https://www.infolibre.es/noticias/politica/2021/10/11/unidas_podemos_prepara_distancia_con_psoe_asume_que_marca_electoral_puede_restar_papeleta_125486_1012.html |title=Unidas Podemos prepara ya su distanciamiento del PSOE y asume que su marca electoral puede restar en la papeleta |language=es |newspaper=infoLibre |access-date=3 November 2021}} aiming to secure the support of ideologically close forces, such as En Comú Podem (ECP), Compromís, and Más Madrid/Más País, while giving a prevalent role to civil society.{{cite news |last=De la Hoz |first=Cristina |date=13 October 2021 |url=https://www.elindependiente.com/espana/2021/10/13/los-planes-de-yolanda-diaz-una-plataforma-que-respete-las-identidades-y-sin-senoros/ |title=Los planes de Yolanda Díaz: una plataforma que respete las identidades y sin "señoros" |language=es |newspaper=El Independiente |access-date=3 November 2021}}{{cite news |last=Rodríguez |first=Miguel Ángel |date=17 October 2021 |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20211017/yolanda-diaz-modelo-macron-unidas-podemos-candidatura-12254283 |title=Yolanda Díaz adopta para su proyecto el 'modelo Macron': menos Unidas Podemos y más sociedad civil |language=es |newspaper=El Periódico de Catalunya |location=Madrid |access-date=3 November 2021}}{{cite news |date=19 October 2021 |url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/espana/2021/10/19/yolanda-diaz-pone-limites-plataforma-izquierdas/0003_202110G19P16991.htm |title=Yolanda Díaz no pone límites a su plataforma de izquierdas |language=es |newspaper=La Voz de Galicia |access-date=3 November 2021}} The platform saw an advance unity act during an event to be held on 13 November 2021, with the participation of a number of women representative of the various political spaces that could eventually join it: Díaz herself, Barcelona mayor Ada Colau (ECP), Valencian vice-president Mónica Oltra (Compromís), Madrilenian opposition leader Mónica García (Más Madrid), and Ceutan councillor Fatima Hamed (from the Movement for Dignity and Citizenship, MDyC); the absence of Podemos members in the event, most notably of Equality and Social Rights ministers Irene Montero and Ione Belarra, was seen as evidence of the growing diminished role of Unidas Podemos within the platform.{{cite news |last=Cabanillas |first=Ana |date=4 November 2021 |url=https://www.epe.es/es/politica/20211104/diaz-colau-oltra-garcia-lanzan-12655285 |title=Díaz, Colau, Oltra y García lanzan 'la otra izquierda' el 13 de noviembre en València |language=es |newspaper=El Periódico de España |access-date=4 November 2021}} Díaz's-led left-wing alliance was also well received by Sánchez, who saw it as important for the "progressive space" to be in "top shape" for his government to be able to maintain and expand its majority in the next election.{{cite news |last=Romero |first=Juanma |date=18 October 2021 |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/politica/20211018/pedro-sanchez-entrevista-ser-yolanda-diaz-rey-cgpj-12286146 |title=Sánchez apremia a la unión de la izquierda del PSOE para agrupar el voto frente a la derecha |language=es |newspaper=El Periódico de Catalunya |location=Madrid |access-date=4 November 2021}} While Broad Front has been frequently used in the media to refer to Díaz's platform,{{cite news |date=11 October 2021 |url=https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-que-es-frente-amplio-yolanda-diaz-nsv-202110111559_noticia.html |title=Qué es el "frente amplio" de Yolanda Díaz |language=es |newspaper=ABC |access-date=12 November 2021}}{{cite news |last=Molina |first=Chema |date=23 October 2021 |url=https://www.publico.es/actualidad/frente-amplio-alla-proyecto-yolanda-diaz.html |title=¿Qué es un Frente Amplio más allá del proyecto de Yolanda Díaz? |language=es |newspaper=Público |location=Madrid |access-date=12 November 2021}} it has been commented that Díaz herself has rejected the use of this name for its connections with similar brandings used by left-wing populist alliances in Latin America.{{cite news |last=Portillo |first=Javier |date=18 November 2021 |url=https://www.vozpopuli.com/espana/diaz-rechaza-marca-frente-amplio.html |title=Yolanda Díaz rechaza la marca "frente amplio" para su plataforma |language=es |newspaper=VozPópuli |access-date=19 November 2021}} On 18 May 2022, it was announced that Díaz's platform would go under the name Sumar ({{langx|en|Unite}}).{{cite news |last=Cabanillas |first=Ana |date=18 May 2022 |url=https://www.epe.es/es/politica/20220518/yolanda-diaz-plataforma-sumar-13676252 |title='Sumar': Yolanda Díaz lanza su plataforma para emanciparse de Podemos |language=es |newspaper=El Periódico de España |access-date=19 May 2022}}

In September 2021, citizen collectives of the Empty Spain ({{langx|es|España Vacía}} or España Vaciada), a coined term to refer to Spain's rural and largely unpopulated interior provinces,{{cite news |last1=Rodríguez Martínez |first1=Marta |last2=Abellán Matamoros |first2=Cristina |last3=Amiel |first3=Sandrine |date=1 April 2019 |url=https://www.euronews.com/2019/03/31/the-revolt-of-empty-spain-why-is-spain-s-rural-world-protesting |title=The 'Revolt of Empty Spain': Why is Spain's rural world protesting? |newspaper=Euronews |access-date=29 September 2021}} agreed to look forward to formulas to contest the next elections in Spain, inspired by the success of the Teruel Existe candidacy (Spanish for "Teruel Exists") in the November 2019 general election. By November 2021, it was confirmed that over 160 collectives and associations from about 30 Spanish provinces had committed themselves to finalise the electoral platform before January 2022. It then contested the 2022 Castilian-Leonese regional election, with mixed results; it was a success in the province of Soria, where the Soria Now! (SY) platform is based, but it was a disappointment elsewhere.{{cite web |title=Resolución de 7 de marzo de 2022, de la Junta Electoral de Castilla y León, por la que se publica el resumen de los resultados de las elecciones a las Cortes de Castilla y León convocadas por Decreto 2/2021, de 21 de diciembre, y celebradas el 13 de febrero de 2022, conforme a las actas de escrutinio general y de proclamación de electos remitidas por las Juntas Electorales Provinciales |url=https://bocyl.jcyl.es/boletines/2022/03/09/pdf/BOCYL-D-09032022-13.pdf |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=Boletín Oficial de Castilla y León |language=es}}

On 30 May 2023, the national executive of Citizens (CS), which had won 10 seats in 2019, announced that the party would not contest the general election following its poor results in the regional and local elections. This decision was criticised by a number of its elected representatives, including incumbent MP and former party leadership contender Edmundo Bal.{{cite news |date=31 May 2023 |title=Edmundo Bal, indignado, califica de cobardes a los actuales líderes de Ciudadanos |url=https://www.eldebate.com/espana/20230531/edmundo-bal-indignado-califica-cobardes-actuales-lideres-ciudadanos_118356.html |language=es |newspaper=El Debate |access-date=31 May 2023}}

On 8 June 2023, as a result of the bad result of the Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) in the 2023 Cantabrian regional election, the party leader Miguel Ángel Revilla announced that the PRC would not run in the general elections, as agreed by its executive committee.

The key dates are listed below. All times are CET, while the Canary Islands use WET (UTC+0) instead.{{cite web |url=http://www.juntaelectoralcentral.es/cs/jec/documentos/generales_2023_calendario.pdf |title=Elecciones Generales 23 de julio de 2023. Calendario Electoral |language=es |website=Central Electoral Commission |access-date=5 June 2023}}

• 29 May: The election decree is issued with the countersign of the Prime Minister after deliberation in the Council of Ministers, ratified by the King.
• 30 May: Formal dissolution of the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} and beginning of a suspension period of events for the inauguration of public works, services or projects.
• 2 June: Initial constitution of provincial and zone electoral commissions.
• 9 June: Deadline for parties and federations intending to enter into a coalition to inform the relevant electoral commission.
• 19 June: Deadline for parties, federations, coalitions, and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates to the relevant electoral commission.
• 21 June: Submitted lists of candidates are provisionally published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
• 24 June: Deadline for citizens entered in the Register of Absent Electors Residing Abroad (CERA) and for citizens temporarily absent from Spain to apply for voting.
• 25 June: Deadline for parties, federations, coalitions, and groupings of electors to rectify irregularities in their lists.
• 26 June: Official proclamation of valid submitted lists of candidates.
• 27 June: Proclaimed lists are published in the BOE.
• 7 July: Official start of electoral campaigning.
• 13 July: Deadline to apply for postal voting.
• 18 July: Official start of legal ban on electoral opinion polling publication, dissemination or reproduction and deadline for CERA citizens to vote by mail.
• 19 July: Deadline for postal and temporarily absent voters to issue their votes.
• 21 July: Last day of official electoral campaigning and deadline for CERA citizens to vote in a ballot box in the relevant consular office or division
• 22 July: Official 24-hour ban on political campaigning prior to the general election (election silence).
• 23 July: Polling day (polling stations open at 9 am and close at 8 pm or once voters present in a queue at/outside the polling station at 8 pm have cast their vote). Provisional counting of votes starts immediately.{{Cite web |last=Giles |first=Ciarán |date=23 July 2023 |title=Voting begins in Spain in an election that could see another EU country swing to the right |url=https://apnews.com/article/election-right-left-coalition-franco-spain-83cad969eac6cf25ced972357a248e99 |access-date=23 July 2023 |website=Associated Press |language=en}}
• 26 July: General counting of votes, including the counting of CERA votes.
• 29 July: Deadline for the general counting of votes to be carried out by the relevant electoral commission.
• 7 August: Deadline for elected members to be proclaimed by the relevant electoral commission.
• 17 August: Deadline for both chambers of the {{lang|es|Cortes Generales|italic=no}} to be re-assembled (the election decree determines this date, which for the 2023 election was set for 17 August).
• 16 September: Final deadline for definitive results to be published in the BOE.

An Ipsos poll published in July 2023 showed that most of the respondents saw economic issues as most important, followed by unemployment and healthcare.{{cite news |last=Castro |first=Carles |date=10 July 2023 |title=Más del 60% confiesa una gran preocupación ante un gobierno de coalición con Vox |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20230710/9098259/elecciones-23j-encuesta-pp-vox-coalicion-feijoo-sanchez.html |language=es |newspaper=La Vanguardia |location=Barcelona |access-date=23 July 2023}} BBC News reported that LGBT issues have been also distinguished during the campaign period.{{cite news |last1=Gozzi |first1=Laura |last2=Kirby |first2=Paul |date=16 July 2023 |title=Spain's hot summer election: A simple guide |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66186284 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=23 July 2023}}

During the campaign period, Vox campaigned on lowering the income tax, reducing public spending, and introducing tougher anti-migration laws.{{cite news |last=Mohamed |first=Edna |date=23 July 2023 |title=Election polls open in Spain amid fears of right wing shift |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/7/23/spain-election-2023-live-news-polls-open-in-snap-election |language=en |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=23 July 2023}}{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Sam |date=22 July 2023 |title=Spanish election offers opportunity to far right as PP seeks power |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/22/spanish-election-offers-opportunity-to-far-right-as-pp-seeks-power |language=en |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=23 July 2023}}{{cite news |last=Zhou |first=Li |date=21 July 2023 |title=Vox (Spain's far-right version), explained |url=https://www.vox.com/world-politics/23801966/spain-elections-2023-results-vox-far-right-partido-popular |newspaper=Vox |access-date=23 July 2023}} Vox was also in favour of reducing powers of Spain's autonomous communities, rolling back abortion, LGBT, and women's rights, and pulling Spain out of the Paris Agreement.{{cite news |last1=Goodman |first1=Al |last2=Guy |first2=Jack |date=23 July 2023 |title=Far-right could enter government as Spain goes to the polls |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/23/europe/spain-election-voting-pedro-sanchez-pp-vox/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=23 July 2023}}{{cite news |last=Hernández-Morales |first=Aitor |date=22 July 2023 |title=The Spanish elections and potential outcomes, explained |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-election-outcome-explained-pedro-sanchez-alberto-nunez-feijoo-socialist-popular-party-vox/ |website=Politico |access-date=23 July 2023}} Sonia Gallego of Al Jazeera said that Vox's rhetoric "will put it on a collision course with those separatist movements, not just in the Basque Country but Catalonia as well".{{cite news |date=22 July 2023 |title=Spain heads for the polls as far right poised to make gains |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/22/spain-heads-for-the-polls-as-far-right-poised-to-make-gains |language=en |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=23 July 2023}} Vox received support from Brothers of Italy, led by Giorgia Meloni, during the campaign period.

PP campaigned on lowering taxes and introducing policies that would boost foreign investments, with Feijóo trying to portray himself as a moderate.{{cite magazine |last=Serhan |first=Yasmeen |date=21 July 2023 |title=What to Know About Spain's Most Important Election in Years |url=https://time.com/6296563/spain-election-feijoo-vox-explainer/ |magazine=Time |access-date=23 July 2023}} Feijóo was also faced with criticism from Sumar due to his past ties with drug trafficker {{Ill|Marcial Dorado|es|Marcial Dorado}} when he served in the Galician government in the 1990s.{{cite news |last=Hernández-Morales |first=Aitor |date=18 July 2023 |title=Spanish election: Drug trafficker links trigger questions for Feijóo |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/alberto-nunez-feijoo-drug-trafficker-links-marcial-dorado-boat-photo-spain-election-2023-polls/ |newspaper=Politico |access-date=23 July 2023}} Feijóo responded by saying that Dorado "had been a smuggler [but] never a drug trafficker" when he knew him. PP and Vox also campaigned on ending Sanchismo, policies introduced by Sánchez and his coalition government, with Feijóo stating that it his main priority.{{cite news |last=Hedgecoe |first=Guy |date=10 July 2023 |title=Pedro Sánchez, the high-stakes gambler, seeks to defy the odds again |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/pedro-sanchez-spain-general-election-2023/ |newspaper=Politico |access-date=23 July 2023}} Both parties also accused Sanchez of overly relying on separatist parties to pass key legislation and pardoning jailed leaders. The catchphrase Let Txapote vote for you was popularized within this context.{{cite news |date=16 July 2023 |title=Spain's hot summer election: A simple guide |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66186284 |language=en |publisher=BBC News |access-date=9 August 2023}}

PSOE's Sánchez has portrayed the election as a "showdown between the forces of progress and the forces of reactionary conservatism". He also criticised the relationship between PP and Vox. PP criticised PSOE's sexual assault law (Ley del solo sí es sí), which was introduced in August 2022, and PSOE's relationship with minority and pro-independence parties.{{cite news |last=Keeley |first=Graham |date=21 November 2022 |title=Spain's New Rape Law Under Fire |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/spain--new-rape-law-under-fire/6843405.html |language=en |newspaper=Voice of America |access-date=23 July 2023}} At least 104 convicted sexual offenders were released due to the law; Sánchez apologised for the loopholes in the law.{{cite news |last=Henley |first=Jon |date=16 April 2023 |title=Spanish PM apologises for loophole in new sexual consent law |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/16/spanish-pm-apologises-loophole-sexual-consent-law |language=en |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=23 July 2023}}

Sumar campaigned on criticising Vox and focusing on issues regarding climate change and introducing a shorter workweek.{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Sam |date=8 July 2023 |title=Free money to teenagers, shorter working week and climate action: can Spain's new leftwing party win power? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/08/can-new-spain-leftwing-party-sumar-win-power |language=en |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=23 July 2023}} In order to challenge social inequality, Díaz proposed a €20,000 "universal inheritance" policy for those over 18 years old which could be spent on studies or creating a business.{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Sam |date=5 July 2023 |title=Spanish minister proposes €20,000 'universal inheritance' from age of 18 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/05/spanish-minister-proposes-20000-universal-inheritance-from-age-of-18 |language=en |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=23 July 2023}} As part of its campaign policy, Sumar also campaigned on increasing taxes on the rich.

;Opinion polls

{{Main|Opinion polling for the 2023 Spanish general election}}

File:OpinionPollingSpainGeneralElection2023.svg trend line of poll results from 10 November 2019 to 23 July 2023, with each line corresponding to a political party.]]

The table below shows registered vote turnout on election day without including voters from the Census of Absent-Residents (CERA).

{{For|results by autonomous community/constituency|Results breakdown of the 2023 Spanish general election (Congress)}}

{{bar box

|title=Popular vote

|titlebar=#ddd

|width=550px

|barwidth=500px

|bars=

{{bar percent|PP|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|33.06}}

{{bar percent|PSOE|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|31.68}}

{{bar percent|Vox|{{party color|Vox (political party)}}|12.38}}

{{bar percent|Sumar|{{party color|Sumar (electoral platform)}}|12.33}}

{{bar percent|ERC|{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}|1.89}}

{{bar percent|Junts|{{party color|Together for Catalonia (2020)}}|1.60}}

{{bar percent|EH Bildu|{{party color|EH Bildu (2023)}}|1.36}}

{{bar percent|EAJ/PNV|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.12}}

{{bar percent|BNG|{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}|0.62}}

{{bar percent|CCa|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|0.47}}

{{bar percent|UPN|{{party color|Navarrese People's Union}}|0.21}}

{{bar percent|Others|#777777|2.46}}

{{bar percent|Blank ballots|#DDDDDD|0.81}}

}}

{{bar box

|title=Seats

|titlebar=#ddd

|width=550px

|barwidth=500px

|bars=

{{bar percent|PP|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|39.14}}

{{bar percent|PSOE|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|34.57}}

{{bar percent|Vox|{{party color|Vox (political party)}}|9.43}}

{{bar percent|Sumar|{{party color|Sumar (electoral platform)}}|8.86}}

{{bar percent|ERC|{{party color|Republican Left of Catalonia}}|2.00}}

{{bar percent|Junts|{{party color|Together for Catalonia (2020)}}|2.00}}

{{bar percent|EH Bildu|{{party color|EH Bildu (2023)}}|1.71}}

{{bar percent|EAJ/PNV|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.43}}

{{bar percent|BNG|{{party color|Galician Nationalist Bloc}}|0.29}}

{{bar percent|CCa|{{party color|Canarian Coalition}}|0.29}}

{{bar percent|UPN|{{party color|Navarrese People's Union}}|0.29}}

}}

{{bar box

|title=Popular vote

|titlebar=#ddd

|width=550px

|barwidth=500px

|bars=

{{bar percent|PP|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|34.54}}

{{bar percent|PSOE|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|32.24}}

{{bar percent|Sumar|{{party color|Sumar (electoral platform)}}|11.08}}

{{bar percent|Vox|{{party color|Vox (political party)}}|10.64}}

{{bar percent|IPLI|{{party color|Left for Independence}}|4.18}}

{{bar percent|Junts|{{party color|Together for Catalonia (2020)}}|1.84}}

{{bar percent|EAJ/PNV|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.26}}

{{bar percent|UPN|{{party color|Navarrese People's Union}}|0.28}}

{{bar percent|EFS|{{party color|Pacte Progressista}}|0.04}}

{{bar percent|ASG|{{party color|Gomera Socialist Group}}|0.01}}

{{bar percent|AHI|{{party color|Independent Herrenian Group}}|0.00}}

{{bar percent|Others|#777777|3.19}}

{{bar percent|Blank ballots|#DDDDDD|1.60}}

}}

{{bar box

|title=Seats

|titlebar=#ddd

|width=550px

|barwidth=500px

|bars=

{{bar percent|PP|{{party color|People's Party (Spain)}}|57.69}}

{{bar percent|PSOE|{{party color|Spanish Socialist Workers' Party}}|34.62}}

{{bar percent|IPLI|{{party color|Left for Independence}}|3.37}}

{{bar percent|EAJ/PNV|{{party color|Basque Nationalist Party}}|1.92}}

{{bar percent|Junts|{{party color|Together for Catalonia (2020)}}|0.48}}

{{bar percent|UPN|{{party color|Navarrese People's Union}}|0.48}}

{{bar percent|EFS|{{party color|Pacte Progressista}}|0.48}}

{{bar percent|ASG|{{party color|Gomera Socialist Group}}|0.48}}

{{bar percent|AHI|{{party color|Independent Herrenian Group}}|0.48}}

}}

File:2023 Spanish general election map.svg|Election results by constituency (Congress).

File:2023 Spanish election - Results.svg|Vote winner strength by constituency (Congress).

File:2023 Spanish election - AC results.svg|Vote winner strength by autonomous community (Congress).

{{Main|15th Cortes Generales|15th Congress of Deputies|15th Senate of Spain}}

The election results showed that PP won 33.1 percent of popular vote and 137 seats in the Congress of Deputies, while PSOE won 31.7 percent of popular vote and 121 seats in the Congress of Deputies.{{cite news |date=23 July 2023 |title=Spain election: Conservatives win but fall short of majority |url=https://www.dw.com/en/spain-election-conservatives-win-but-fall-short-of-majority/a-66321876 |language=en |newspaper=Deutsche Welle |access-date=24 July 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Guy |first1=Jack |last2=Goodman |first2=Al |date=23 July 2023 |title=No clear victor in Spanish election as results defy predictions |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/23/europe/spain-election-polls-results-intl/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=24 July 2023}} Despite the PP gaining 48 seats and increasing its vote share by over 12 points, its result was well below expectations to reach above 150 or 160 seats and insufficient to secure a right-wing majority to govern.{{cite news |last=Alonso |first=María Eugenia |date=24 July 2023 |title=Feijóo se estrella contra sus expectativas |url=https://www.heraldo.es/noticias/nacional/2023/07/24/resultados-elecciones-generales-2023-pp-alberto-nunez-feijoo-1667493.html |language=es |newspaper=Heraldo de Aragón |access-date=29 July 2023}}{{cite news |last=Esteve |first=Mireia |date=25 July 2023 |title=El PP blinda a Feijóo pese a pagar por el fracaso de su estrategia |url=https://es.ara.cat/politica/elecciones-generales/pp-blinda-feijoo-pese-pagar-fracaso-estrategia_1_4765369.html |language=es |newspaper=Ara |location=Madrid |access-date=29 July 2023}}{{cite news |last=Junquera |first=Natalia |date=30 July 2023 |title=Anatomía del 23-J: los datos que sepultaron el relato de la derecha |url=https://elpais.com/espana/elecciones-generales/2023-07-30/anatomia-del-23-j-los-datos-que-sepultaron-el-relato-de-la-derecha.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=30 July 2023}} Conversely, the PSOE overperformed polls by improving upon previous results, gaining almost 1 million votes—the most votes gained by the prime minister's party in Spain after a full first term in office—scoring its best result since the 2008 Spanish general election in terms of votes and vote share.{{cite news |date=24 July 2023 |title=Spanish elections: Uncertainty hangs over future government |url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/07/24/general-election-results-in-spain-leave-the-future-of-the-next-government-up-in-the-air |publisher=Euronews |access-date=24 July 2023}}{{cite news |last=Palomera |first=Esther |date=29 July 2023 |title=Sánchez se convierte, tras el 23J, en el presidente que más creció en votos tras un primer mandato |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/sanchez-convierte-23j-presidente-crecio-votos-primer-mandato_129_10416244.html |language=es |newspaper=elDiario.es |access-date=30 July 2023}}

Vox won 33 seats, losing 19 seats that it won in the previous election, while Sumar won 31 seats.{{cite news |date=24 July 2023 |title=Spain in 'political limbo' after election yields no clear winner |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/24/spain-in-political-limbo-after-election-yields-no-clear-winner |language=en |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=24 July 2023}}{{cite news |date=24 July 2023 |title=Spain election: Ruling leftists withstood the odds, far right lost 19 seats |url=https://www.france24.com/en/video/20230724-spain-election-ruling-leftists-withstood-the-odds-far-right-lost-19-seats |publisher=France 24 |access-date=24 July 2023}} In part due to a campaign led by the Assemblea Nacional Catalana encouraging pro-Catalan independence voters to boycott the election,{{cite news |last=González |first=Germán |date=20 June 2023 |title=El soberanismo unilateral insta a la "abstención independentista" en las elecciones del 23 de julio|url=https://www.elmundo.es/cataluna/2023/06/20/64918f4cfdddff2b618b45b7.html |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |access-date=24 July 2023}}{{cite news |date=23 July 2023 |last=Lamelas |first=Marcos |title=Mayor abstención en Cataluña que en España por la campaña de los independentistas |trans-title=Higher rate of abstention in Catalonia than in [the rest of] Spain due to the campaign of pro-independence parties |url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/cataluna/2023-07-23/mayor-abstencion-cataluna-independentistas_3706095/ |newspaper=El Confidencial |access-date=26 July 2023}}{{cite web |date=24 July 2023 |title=Catalunya registra la abstención más alta desde las generales del 2011|url=https://www.europapress.es/catalunya/noticia-catalunya-registra-abstencion-mas-alta-generales-2011-20230724002426.html |language=es |publisher=Europa Press |access-date=24 July 2023}} pro-independence parties lost 46% of the votes they won in November 2019, materializing in the loss of 9 seats and in the anti-capitalists of the Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) being expelled from Congress.{{cite news |first1=Camilo Sixto |last1=Baquero |first2=Jesús |last2=García Bueno |date=24 July 2023 |title=El bloque independentista pierde el 46% de apoyos lastrado por el voto en clave estatal |url=https://elpais.com/espana/elecciones-generales/2023-07-24/el-bloque-independentista-pierde-el-46-de-apoyos-lastrado-por-el-voto-en-clave-estatal.html |newspaper=El País |access-date=24 July 2023}}

{{Further|2023 Spanish government formation|Third government of Pedro Sánchez}}

During the campaign period, news agencies mentioned that in case of a PP victory, it would have to rely on Vox for a parliamentary majority,{{cite news |last=Fotheringham |first=Alasdair |date=19 July 2023 |title=Spain's snap vote: How it works and what to expect on July 23 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/19/spains-snap-vote-how-it-works-and-what-to-expect-on-july-23 |language=en |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=23 July 2023}} despite Feijóo saying that he would prefer a minority government instead.{{cite news |last=Horowitz |first=Jason |date=21 July 2023 |title=In Spain's Election, Left and Right Answer for the Company They Keep |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/21/world/europe/spain-election-partners.html |language=en |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=23 July 2023}} The election results later showed that even PP and Vox together would not have enough seats to form a majority, considering that they won 170 seats in total.{{cite news |title=Spain's election ends in deadlock |language=en |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/07/23/spains-election-ends-in-deadlock |access-date=24 July 2023}} Both PP and PSOE, short of a majority, claimed victory. The results raised the prospect of no government forming and a snap election being called, which would constitute a record third straight time in which regular general elections were inconclusive and required a following snap election. The Catalan party Junts—led by former Catalan president and fugitive Carles Puigdemont—was widely seen as being the kingmaker, with both blocs having to rely on their favourable vote to form a government, likely coupled with further concessions on Catalan independence.{{cite news |last1=Faus |first1=Joan |last2=Carreño |first2=Belén |last3=Carreño |first3=Belén |date=24 July 2023 |title=Fugitive Catalan leader holds key to Spanish electoral impasse |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-faces-political-uncertainty-after-right-fails-win-predicted-majority-2023-07-24/ |language=en |publisher=Reuters |access-date=24 July 2023}}{{cite news |last=Castro |first=Irene |date=23 July 2023 |title=Los posibles pactos: la derecha no suma y la izquierda depende de una abstención de Junts |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/posibles-pactos-derecha-no-suma-izquierda-depende-abstencion-junts_1_10402083.html |language=es |newspaper=elDiario.es |access-date=24 July 2023}}{{cite news |date=23 July 2023 |title=Autonomía fiscal, Renfe y aeropuertos: las exigencias de Junts para ceder sus votos |url=https://www.lainformacion.com/economia-negocios-y-finanzas/junts-cataluna-elecciones-23j-gobierno-autonomia-fiscal-renfe-aeropuertos/2889648/ |language=es |newspaper=La Información |access-date=24 July 2023}} Due to the underperformance of the right-wing bloc, Feijóo's leadership was questioned by the Spanish right-wing; Feijóo went from offering a pact to the PSOE to warning of a rupture if Sánchez was confirmed prime minister with the support of separatists.{{cite news |last1=Casqueiro |first1=Javier |last2=García de Blas |first2=Elsa |date=27 July 2023 |title=El PP pasa de ofrecer un pacto al PSOE a alertar de un riesgo de ruptura de España si sale investido Sánchez |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2023-07-27/el-pp-pasa-de-ofrecer-un-pacto-al-psoe-a-alertar-de-un-riesgo-de-ruptura-de-espana-si-sale-investido-sanchez.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |access-date=30 July 2023}} The election of the president of the Congress of Deputies—or speaker—on 17 August saw the PSOE candidate Francina Armengol winning in a vote which was seen to boost Sanchez's hopes of re-election.{{cite news |date=17 August 2023 |title=Spain Socialists win first parliamentary battle, securing speaker role |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/17/spain-socialists-win-first-parliamentary-battle-securing-speaker-role |language=en |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=17 August 2023}}{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Sam |date=17 August 2023 |title=Vote for Spanish Congress speaker boosts Sánchez's premiership hopes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/17/vote-for-spanish-congress-speaker-boosts-sanchezs-premiership-hopes |language=en |newspaper=The Guardian |location=Madrid |access-date=17 August 2023}}

King Felipe VI summoned the political parties for a round of talks on 21 and 22 August to decide whether to nominate a candidate for investiture.{{cite news |date=18 August 2023 |title=El Rey celebrará el lunes y el martes su ronda de contactos para la investidura, con sólo siete formaciones |url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-rey-resolvera-dos-dias-ronda-contactos-investidura-solo-siete-formaciones-20230818134327.html |language=es |publisher=Europa Press |location=Madrid |access-date=19 August 2023}} The king faced a difficult choice as, for the first time in the democratic era, two candidates—Sánchez and Feijóo—were equally intent on being nominated.{{cite news |date=16 August 2023 |title=El Rey se enfrenta a una ronda de consultas inédita con dos candidatos que quieren ir a la investidura |url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-rey-enfrenta-ronda-consultas-inedita-dos-candidatos-quieren-ir-investidura-20230816151139.html |language=es |publisher=Europa Press |location=Madrid |access-date=19 August 2023}} Feijóo's intentions were unchanged by his recent parliamentary setback, despite calls from some factions within his party asking him to "leave the fiction" of insisting that he had the required support for his investiture.{{cite news |last1=García de Blas |first1=Elsa |last2=González |first2=Miguel |date=18 August 2023 |title=Feijóo insiste en presentarse a una investidura pese a la falta de apoyos y el revés de la Mesa del Congreso |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2023-08-18/feijoo-insiste-en-presentarse-a-una-investidura-pese-a-la-falta-de-apoyos-y-el-reves-de-la-mesa-del-congreso.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=19 August 2023}}{{cite news |last=García de Blas |first=Elsa |date=18 August 2023 |title=Una corriente del PP pide a Feijóo salir de la "ficción" de defender que tiene apoyos para ir a una investidura |url=https://elpais.com/espana/elecciones-generales/2023-08-18/una-corriente-del-pp-pide-a-feijoo-salir-de-la-ficcion-de-defender-que-tiene-apoyos-para-ir-a-una-investidura.html |language=es |newspaper=El País |location=Madrid |access-date=19 August 2023}}

Despite Feijóo's investiture being widely expected to fail, the King nominated him as candidate on 22 August.{{cite news |last1=Riveiro |first1=Aitor |last2=Monrosi |first2=José Enrique |date=22 August 2023 |title=El rey encarga a Feijóo que intente la investidura sin tener garantizados los apoyos necesarios |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/rey-encarga-feijoo-intente-investidura-garantizados-apoyos-necesarios_1_10458651.html |language=es |newspaper=elDiario.es |access-date=23 August 2023}} He justified his decision by stating that the PP had won the most seats and that, since no other clear majority for investiture had been evidenced during the round of talks, the tradition of nominating the leader of the largest party should continue, while allowing for the fact that other candidates could be nominated if their investiture attempt was unsuccessful.{{cite news |last=Riveiro |first=Aitor |date=22 August 2023 |title=Felipe VI se ampara en la "costumbre" para lanzar a Feijóo a una investidura sin mayoría suficiente |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/felipe-vi-ampara-costumbre-lanzar-feijoo-investidura-mayoria-suficiente_1_10459174.html |language=es |newspaper=elDiario.es |access-date=23 August 2023}}{{cite news |last=Piña |first=Raúl |date=22 August 2023 |title=El Rey protege la normalidad institucional y propone a Feijóo como ganador de las elecciones |url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2023/08/22/64e4fc02fc6c836f4a8b4598.html |language=es |newspaper=El Mundo |location=Madrid |access-date=23 August 2023}}

Following Feijóo's defeat, King Felipe VI summoned all parties to a new round of talks on 2 and 3 October, after which he nominated Pedro Sánchez as the next candidate to attempt the investiture.{{cite news |date=29 September 2023 |url=https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2023/09/29/el-rey-convoca-una-nueva-ronda-de-consultas-el-lunes-y-martes-para-designar-un-candidato-para-la-investidura-cadena-ser/ |title=El rey convoca una nueva ronda de consultas el lunes y martes para designar un candidato para la investidura |language=es |publisher=Cadena SER |location=Madrid |access-date=3 October 2023}}{{cite news |date=3 October 2023 |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20231003/9271415/rey-propone-pedro-sanchez-intente-formar-gobierno-fracaso-feijoo.html |title=El Rey propone a Pedro Sánchez para que intente formar gobierno tras el fracaso de Feijóo |language=es |newspaper=La Vanguardia |location=Barcelona |access-date=3 October 2023}} Upon his nomination, Sánchez commented that he was "not going to a false investiture", adding that everything agreed to secure the investiture would be "within the Constitution" and that agreements would be "transparent and known", considered to be a reference to criticisms of the amnesty proposed by pro-Catalan independence parties.{{cite news |date=3 October 2023 |url=https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2023/10/03/sanchez-se-postula-ante-el-rey-felipe-vi-como-candidato-a-la-investidura-cadena-ser/ |title=Sánchez acepta con "ilusión" y "responsabilidad" el encargo del rey para intentar la investidura |language=es |publisher=Cadena SER |location=Madrid |access-date=3 October 2023}}

{{notelist}}

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{{refbegin}}

• {{cite act |italics=y |title=Constitución Española |type=Spanish Constitution |date=29 December 1978 |orig-date=version as of 27 September 2011 |reporter=Boletín Oficial del Estado |volume=311 |issn=0212-033X |id=BOE-A-1978-31229 |language=es |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1978-31229&p=20110927 |access-date=27 December 2016 |ref={{harvid|Const. Esp.|1978}}}}
• {{cite act |italics=y |title=Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General |type=Organic Law |number=5/1985 |date=19 June 1985 |orig-date=version as of 9 June 2023 |reporter=Boletín Oficial del Estado |volume=147 |issn=0212-033X |id=BOE-A-1985-11672 |language=es |url=https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1985-11672&tn=1&p=20230609 |access-date=25 July 2023 |ref={{harvid|LOREG|1985}}}}
• {{cite book |last1=Carreras de Odriozola |first1=Albert |last2=Tafunell Sambola |first2=Xavier |year=2005 |orig-year=1989 |title=Estadísticas históricas de España, siglos XIX-XX |url=http://www.fbbva.es/TLFU/dat/autores.pdf |language=es |volume=1 |location=Bilbao |publisher=Fundación BBVA |pages=1072–1097 |edition=II |isbn=84-96515-00-1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924010950/http://www.fbbva.es/TLFU/dat/autores.pdf |archive-date=24 September 2015 |df=dmy-all}}

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• {{Commons category-inline}}

{{Spanish elections}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:General election in Spain, 2023}}

Category:2023 elections in Spain

2023

Category:July 2023 in Spain