The ballot boxes are closed in Madrid: Díaz Ayuso’s PP would obtain a large majority, but should form a coalition with Vox to govern

The People’s Party (PP) of Isabel Díaz Ayuso would win the elections for the presidency of the Community of Madrid by revalidating her position at the head of the party formation, but he would have to form a government with Vox backing, according to early exit polls published by local media.

Thus, Díaz Ayuso would renew her functions as president of the Madrid region, improving her results, after an electoral campaign based on her management of the coronavirus pandemic, with much more permissive measures than the rest of the Spanish regions.

The exit door

According to surveys by Spanish public television (TVE) and the Autonomous Region of Madrid (Telemadrid), the The PP could govern alone with the abstention of the extreme right of Vox.

According to these surveys, the PP would obtain between 62 and 65 seats, four of the absolute majority, more than double that of the 2019 elections, followed by Socialist Party (PSOE), who would remain with a maximum of 28, nine less than in previous elections, while the left More from Madrid it could have between 21 and 24 deputies compared to the 20 it had so far.

Vox could add up to two more seats, up to 14-now has 12-, while United we can, the formation of Pablo Iglesias, would rebound and take between 10 and 11 against seven in 2019, while the liberals Citizens he would stay out of the Parliament of Madrid and lose the 26 deputies he had so far.

The chosen one

Shortly after 6 p.m. GMT (8 p.m. local time), authorities in Madrid signaled the closure of polling stations during the elections with strong impact at national level, and that they had a voter turnout of 69% of the authorized register, about 11 points higher than that recorded in 2019. Polling stations are already closed, but those already online are allowed to vote.

Despite strict protocols, since polling stations opened at 9 (local time, 7 GMT) Long queues of citizens have been recorded under strict safety and hygiene protocols due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The election defines the renewal of the Regional Parliament of Madrid and its leader, but all of Spain will have their eyes riveted on these elections with national implications, in which the socialists of the president of the national government, Pedro Sánchez, faced the right is hiding behind the slogan “communism or freedom”.

“We have no data indicating that there was an incident. The respect of covid standards has been exquisite by the citizens ”, Enrique López, Minister of Justice, said at a press conference.

Among the preventive measures against COVID-19, the recommendation that those over 65 vote from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and that people with symptoms or an active illness do so in the last hour: from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. . The voter had to go only to the polling center, except in case of need for assistance, and the use of a mask is compulsory.

Madrid is the region with the most deaths from the pandemic in Spain, 19% of the total of the more than 78,000 deaths recorded nationwide, and 45% of its intensive care beds are occupied by covid-19 patients, the highest number in the country, a situation which has given the opposition of ammunition to attack the leadership of the regional president of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, rising star of the People’s Party (PP) for 42 years.

But this in turn made the government of Pedro Sánchez responsible, who accuses him of having neglected the fight against the pandemic and of having left the regions to their fate, competent in health matters.

Díaz Ayuso clashed with the government over the measures to be taken and made The most permissive region of the country, where bars, restaurants or cinemas have not closed since last summer, a situation almost unique in Europe.

The president, who presents himself as the defender of a lifestyle “à la madrileña” where people can go out for a beer after work, argued that this has thus avoided a greater economic impact.

Although the polls give her as the winner but without an absolute majority, the fact that she probably needs to rule in Madrid the far right of Vox, an ascendant party that already supports the PP with its votes in the mayor’s office of Madrid and other regions, they have led the left to warn of the “risk” of this happening.

“It is not about Madrid, but about our democracy”, Pedro Sánchez proclaimed during a rally.

With information from EFE

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