The PP of Extremadura, with María Guardiola as its candidate, has also joined the growing wave of popular supporters in a good part of Spain and will be able to take over the presidency of the Board if it reaches an investiture agreement with Vox. In this way, the popular will seize the presidency from one of the socialist barons, Guillermo Fernández Vara, in a community in which only in one legislature -from 2011 to 2015- the PP managed to govern, with José Antonio Monago.
The possibility that the PP managed to get closer to the government of the Junta de Extremadura had not been well pointed out by the polls, which, although they had indicated the decline of the PSOE, drew a coalition government with Podemos. Socialists and Populares tie in seats, with less than one point of difference in favor of the former, but who lose 6 deputies and almost 7% of the votes. Some elections in which participation in this community has increased.
Thus, María Guardiola could be the first woman in charge of the government of Extremadura, a candidate who has carried out a moderate campaign with a centrist accent, also seeking the support of part of the socialist electorate. The popular leader was elected president of the party in Extremadura in 2022, after a complex renewal process.
Despite the fact that this electoral scenario was not clear on the horizon, the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has made a strong commitment. He opened the campaign with the candidate in Badajoz, and returned during the fifteen days.
Vox, which bursts with five seats, will be key in the governability of the region, and tonight it has already spoken of the need for a change of stage. Podemos has kept its four representatives.
For Pedro Sánchez and for the PSOE, which started as a favourite, the loss of Extremadura is a severe blow since it had always been configured as an autonomy prone to a solid socialist vote and with a conservative tone. The change in political tone, although with different nuances, was also seen in the main cities. The PP achieved an absolute majority in Badajoz and has won in Cáceres, seizing the mayoralty from the Socialists. The PSOE remain in Mérida.
