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On Sunday, April 28th, the center-left Spanish Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE) won Spain’s general election. PSOE won 123 seats, while the People’s Party secured 66, Citizens 57, Podemos 42 and VOX 24. After this victory, PSOE will have to enter negotiations with other parties to form a coalition government.
On the other hand, Sunday’s vote was a setback for PP, Spain’s conservative party. The party’s leader Pablo Casado «admitted that the election results were ‘very bad’», the Guardian wrote, explaining that the party’s parliament seats «halved» from 137 in 2016 to 66 in 2019.
While PP was happy about the results of the 2019 vote, far-right party VOX managed to score an unprecedented victory.
Is it reassuring for Morocco ?
Now that Pedro Sanchez has all cards in hand, the party is expected to be forming a left-wing coalition government with Podemos. The socialist party will be relying on the support of nationalists from the Southern Basque Country, the Canary Islands and Cantabria, without being forced to knock on the door of Catalans. The second option for PSOE is to ally with Ciudadanos, a center-right political party in Spain.
Spain's general election results. / Ph. DR
PSOE’s victory, however, is seen as a positive factor for Morocco, especially since Pedro Sanchez has shown, since taking office in June 2018, that he is willing to strengthen relations with the Kingdom.
«The Mediterranean and the Maghreb are very close to Spain not only from a geographical point of view», Sanchez underlined in an article published by Spanish magazine «Politica Exterior», adding that Morocco is a major partner for Spain.
«Morocco's progress and prosperity are essential for the stability of the Western Mediterranean region and Spain», he noted.
On the issue of migration, Sanchez said that the European Union (EU) needs «coordinated and effective policies, implemented in consultation with our partners, countries of origin and transit», including Morocco.
The EU has recognized «the key role» of the Kingdom in this area, he said, recalling that the European Union will grant Morocco 140 million euros to help cope with the increased migration flows in recent years.
«This is an important effort that needs to be supported, in the medium and long term, through a real strategic partnership - in this area - between the EU and Morocco», Sanchez pointed out.
