Spain's Partido Popular party holds its breath for majority in Galicia vote

The northwestern region of Galicia votes on Sunday for its new regional parliament. Currently the region is led by the conservative Partido Popular (PP) under Alfonso Rueda. Prior to Rueda, Galicia was headed by the now national leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, until 2022. The PP has run Galicia for all but four years since 1990.

Opinion polls show the PP on course to be the largest single party again with the doubt remaining of whether they will secure enough regional MPs to repeat their majority.

Opinion polls are also showing a fall in seats for the Socialist PSOE and a big rise for the nationalist BNG party under Ana Pontón.

Campaigning in the election has partly focused on national issues including the current agricultural industry protests and the central government coalition's plans to grant an amnesty to those involved in the illegal Catalan independence process of 2017.

The PP's Núñez Feijóo was under pressure last weekend over the suggestion he too considered an amnesty for Catalan rebels "for 24 hours", a comment which some in his party fear could influence the vote of its traditional supporters in Galicia.

Meanwhile the BNG Galician nationalists were in the headlines later this week over their decision to join the Basque and Catalan left-wing separatist parties, Bildu and ERC, on a joint ticket at June's elections to the European parliament again.