Expatriate Votes Increase Likelihood of Spain Election Repeat

The redistribution of seats in the Spanish parliament after the count of expat votes has made the possibility of new elections in Spain more likely. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's options for remaining in power have become more precarious, as the left-wing bloc now faces an equal number of right-wing MPs capable of rejecting his bid to remain prime minister. Convincing the Catalan separatist Junts party to vote in his favor seems virtually unthinkable, as they demand a blanket amnesty for everyone involved in the 2017 referendum and a commitment to holding a Catalan independence vote. If no deal is struck in the coming months, new elections could be held at the end of this year or the beginning of 2024.