Lorraine Williamson
Andalucia election day is underway, with more than 6.8 million people called to vote in a regional contest being watched far beyond Spain’s southernmost mainland region.
Polling stations opened this morning for the 17 May election to the Parliament of Andalucia, where all 109 seats are being contested. The result will decide whether the current president, Juanma Moreno of the Partido Popular, can continue governing with a clear mandate, or whether he will need support from Vox.
The vote also matters nationally. It comes at a time when Spanish politics remains highly polarised, and Andalucia, Spain’s most populated region, is often seen as a political test ground before wider national contests.
At a glance
- Andalucia is voting today to choose the 109 MPs who will sit in the regional parliament.
- More than 6.8 million people are called to vote, including hundreds of thousands taking part in an Andalucian election for the first time.
- Polling stations are open from 9.00 am to 8.00 pm, with the count beginning once voting closes.
- The main question is whether Juanma Moreno’s PP can govern alone again or will need support from Vox.
A region-wide vote with national weight
According to election-day figures reported by Spanish media, 6,812,861 Andalusians are called to vote. That includes 368,853 new voters compared with the last regional election in 2022.
The regional parliament has 109 seats, meaning 55 are needed for an absolute majority. RTVE’s election results platform, which uses official Junta de Andalucia data, lists the same seat total and majority threshold for the 2026 contest.
In the last Andalucian election in 2022, the PP won an outright majority. This time, the central question is whether Moreno can repeat that success.
If he falls short, attention will turn quickly to Vox. The party could become decisive in forming the next regional government, depending on how the final seat distribution falls.
Malaga among the key battlegrounds
The province of Malaga has a major role in today’s vote, with 1,284,154 people called to the polls. It is the second-largest Andalucian province by electoral weight after Sevilla and will elect 17 regional MPs.
Across Malaga province, voting is taking place at 597 polling locations, with 1,772 ballot tables in operation. More than 2,400 security personnel are also involved in the election-day operation.
For Costa del Sol residents, the result will help shape regional decisions on health services, housing, tourism, infrastructure, education, transport and environmental policy.
When will participation and results be known?
Polling stations are open from 9.00 am until 8.00 pm. Anyone already inside a polling station at closing time is still allowed to vote. Voters must show official identification, such as a DNI, passport or driving licence with a photo.
Turnout will be watched closely throughout the day. Participation was 58.36% in 2022, when the PP secured a historic win.
The official count begins after polling stations close at 8.00 pm. RTVE has confirmed a special election programme starting at 7.45 pm, with live data, party reactions and analysis throughout the evening.
Clearer results are expected later tonight, once the count is sufficiently advanced.
Moreno seeks continuity as opposition fights for ground
The PP enters election day as the favourite, with Moreno campaigning on stability and continuity. His challenge is not only to win, but to secure enough seats to govern without relying on another party.
The PSOE, led in Andalucia by María Jesús Montero, is trying to recover ground in a region it dominated for decades before losing power. Left-wing parties are also hoping to prevent further fragmentation of the progressive vote.
Vox, meanwhile, will be watching for any result that places it in a kingmaker position. That would give the party influence over the next regional government, even if the PP remains clearly ahead.
Why this vote matters
Andalucia’s size gives this election unusual weight. The region is home to more than eight million people and carries political importance across Spain.
A strong PP result would reinforce Moreno’s leadership and strengthen the party’s national message. A weaker result, however, could raise questions about the limits of PP dominance in the south.
For the left, today’s vote is also a test of whether it can rebuild in a region where it once held almost unbroken power.
By tonight, Andalucia will know whether it has chosen continuity, a changed balance of power, or another period of negotiation.