A super election in May? Spain’s government doesn’t rule it out

The Spanish government doesn’t rule out calling fresh polls for May 26, 2019, coinciding with European, regional, and local elections.

As president Pedro Sánchez is essentially refraining from trying to pass a general budget for next year in Congress, the pressure is mounting for him to call fresh polls rather than staying in power with a minority of MPs.

When asked about the possibility of a "Super Sunday" with a quadruple election in May next year, minister José Luís Ábalos responded that "nothing can be ruled out."

Yet, Ábalos stressed that the cabinet is still trying to get its budget bill approved—a remote possibility after pro-independence parties ruled out backing it, following recent developments in the case against their leaders.

It’s the first time that a government minister in Spain opens the door to a snap election and discusses a date for the vote, even with repeated calls from opposition parties to call fresh polls.

With the Socialists rising in polls since forming a government in spring, some argue that they could take advantage of the political momentum and call an election to increase their number of seats in parliament.

Sánchez rose to power thanks in part to pro-independence parties, that helped him oust the conservative Mariano Rajoy as president following a corruption scandal.