Andalucía calls regional government elections on 17 May

President of the Junta de Andalucía Juanma Moreno announced on Monday that the next regional elections will be held on 17 May.

Earlier that day, Moreno had convened his regional ministers to inform them of his decision, which entails the dissolution of the regional government. Consequently, the meeting scheduled for this Wednesday, in which four laws were to be approved, will not take place.

Moreno justified the choice of date by stating that it guarantees maximum voter turnout and allows Andalucía to start the summer with a clear political horizon.

According to Spanish law, elections take place exactly on the 54th day after their announcement. The electoral campaign will begin at midnight on Friday, 1 May.

The elections are taking place earlier than expected, as the initial plan placed them between 31 May and 14 June, excluding 7 June, which is when the Pope is visiting.

Juanma Moreno has repeatedly insisted on his intention to serve out his full term.

The chosen date is both a technicality and a strategic move to capitalise on the regional president's current popularity in the polls. A public shift, however, could still occur in the two months remaining until election day.

"Andalucía has completed a four-year term with stability, confidence and good coexistence among Andalusians," Moreno said during the announcement on Tuesday.

According to Moreno, the reforms his regional government implemented over the past seven years have borne fruit. He highlighted Andalucía's public services and positive employment figures, with a particular focus on employment among young people and women.

Moreno noted that over the years he had been encouraged on many occasions to call early elections because his opponents didn't even have a candidate. However, he has always stated that he was going to serve out the full term, something that hadn't happened in Andalucía since 2012.

Moreno reminded the Andalusian population that four years ago he won a sufficient majority at the polls. Since then, the Junta "has approved 64 laws and decrees".

According to the Junta's president, holding elections every four years after the completion of a legislative term and having approved four budgets is normal democratic practice.

The regional elections fall in Andalucía's season of festivities, with the Feria de Sevilla between 21 and 26 April, the Rocío pilgrimage between 22 and 25 May and Corpus Christi on 4 June.