THE Spain could follow the US and Brazil in moving to the far right in parliamentary elections on July 23, the prime minister said today Pedro Sanchezcalling on Spaniards to give him a “strong, vocal support for the next four years”.

Socialist Sanchez suddenly announced early elections after the leftist minority coalition government he leads suffered heavy losses in regional elections held on Sunday.

The latest polls show the conservative People’s Party (PP) ahead of the Socialists, but not securing an outright parliamentary majority, meaning a coalition with the anti-immigrant Vox party may need to be negotiated.

In his first public remarks since calling the election, Sanchez warned that a vote for the PP would mean welcoming into government a party aligned with the views of former presidents Donald Trump in the US and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, who were defeated by Joe Biden and Lula da Silva, respectively, after one term in office.

“Spain is not immune to this reactionary trend, but in Spain we can stop it, for our sons and daughters,” Sanchez told Socialist lawmakers, calling on Spaniards to decide whether “they want a prime minister on the side of Biden or Trump, on the side of Lula or Bolsonaro.”

PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijo reiterated today that he will seek an absolute majority and declined to answer questions about a possible deal with Vox.

Speaking at an event in Barcelona, ​​he also said he would focus on reducing public debt if his party wins in July, adding that a government led by his party would also reduce electricity bills for consumers and some businesses.

Sanchez admitted that holding early elections in the middle of the summer holidays, especially given that they will be the first to be unaffected by any pandemic restrictions, is not at all convenient for many.

“I know that the first completely normal (post-pandemic) holidays are approaching, which Spanish society needs to rest and disconnect. I understand that, but what is decided on July 23 will be decisive for Spain in the next decade,” he said.