María Guardiola's Partido Popular has won the Extremadura regional elections with 29 seats, but falls four short of an absolute majority and will depend on Vox for investiture. The PSOE suffers its worst historical result with just 18 deputies, while Vox surges to 11 seats and Unidas por Extremadura rises to 7. Turnout was 62%, the lowest in the region's history.
The Extremadura regional elections, held on December 21, 2025, mark a decisive shift in regional politics. María Guardiola, acting PP president, claimed an 'incontestable victory' with 29 seats, one more than in 2023, but far from the 33 needed to govern alone. 'The ballot boxes have said not to block Extremadura', declared Guardiola at the Azz hotel in Mérida, where she began her speech almost at midnight surrounded by supporters. However, Vox's surge to 11 seats (from 5 in 2023) complicates her position, as she will need at least their abstention to be invested. Vox leader Santiago Abascal warned: 'Vox votes must count' and demanded respect for his voters, bolstering his influence after an intense regional campaign.
The PSOE, a traditional stronghold in Extremadura, suffered a historic debacle. Candidate Miguel Ángel Gallardo, prosecuted for irregularities in the Badajoz Provincial Council, secured only 18 seats, losing 10 from 2023 and over 108,000 votes. 'It's a very bad result, without palliatives', admitted Gallardo, who called a regional executive meeting for Monday without announcing immediate resignation. Low turnout, attributed to progressive demobilization, worsened the socialist crisis in a bastion where they governed 36 of 42 years since democracy.
Unidas por Extremadura, a Podemos-IU-Alianza Verde coalition led by Irene de Miguel, celebrated its best result with 7 seats (from 4), adding nearly 20,000 votes. 'We are a light of hope for the transformative left', proclaimed De Miguel. The right-wing bloc reached 60% of the votes, consolidating the change started in 2023, but with tensions between PP and Vox over budgets and policies. Guardiola will begin consultation rounds on Monday, starting with the PSOE, amid national uncertainty for the electoral cycle continuing in Aragón, Castilla y León, and Andalucía.
