Spanish political crisis

The traditional centre right Partido Popular has collapsed, who will benefit? | Chema Moya

ReutersPalma24/02/2022 10:07

The political civil war between the outgoing leader of the centre right Partido Popular, Pablo Casado and his rival, Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, that has seen the party brought to the brink of total implosion due to bitter accusations of corruption, espionage and dirty tricks, has claimed its biggest victim to date, Casado himself.

The crisis began last Thursday, when Ayuso abruptly broke with Casado and publicly accused him and the PP’s secretary general, Teodoro García Egea, of hiring private detectives to dredge up scandals with which to discredit her.
Egea went on Tuesday.

Now, obviously the PP have tumbled in the polls and the party is split, so who or rather which party, stands to gain the most?

The far right party Vox was quick to come out proclaiming that it is the new voice for Spain’s right wing, although the more moderate members of the PP are unlikely to join the radical right - despite Vox’s strong standings in the polls and Ayuso having said on a number of occasions that she would have no problem joining any pacts with Vox.

However, while Ayuso may have desires on leading the party and becoming Spain and the PP’s first female prime minister, her party does not stand united on the idea.

So, this could open the door to the more liberal Ciudadanos party which, despite all odds, is still on the scene. Interesting times.