Spain braves the heat to vote in summer general election
Exit polls give the victory to conservative PP, but shed doubt as to whether a deal with hard-right Vox would be enough to gain an absolute majority
SUR in English
Sunday, 23 July 2023, 19:37
Spanish voters braved the heat this Sunday, 23 July, to cast their vote in the general election called earlier than expected by prime minister Pedro Sánchez.
Exit polls published as polling stations closed at 8pm give conservative Partido Popular the victory in the election with 145-150 seats. They shed some doubt, however, as to whether a deal with hard-right group Vox would be enough to achieve an absolute majority.
The exit polls gave the Socialist PSOE between 112 and 118 seats and left-wing Sumar 27-31.
Exit poll results
Turnout
At 6pm, with two hours still before polling stations close, turnout nationally was 53%, four points below the figure at the same time in November 2019, when the last general election was held.
The election date in the middle of many people's summer holidays, has led to a record number of people voting by post, some 2.6 million. These votes are not included in the 6pm turnout figures.
In Malaga province the turnout at 6pm was 52.9%, 1.2 percentage points below 2019's figure.
