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WHO COULD DO DEALS?

Polling data has prompted analysts to predict that a PP-Vox government is the most likely outcome of the July 23 polls.

But if the groups fall short of a majority, they could struggle to find support. This is mostly due to Vox’s hardline policies on issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, domestic violence and illegal immigration (see over).

The Basque Nationalist Party, for example, has already made clear it won’t support a PP-Vox administration.

ANOTHER ‘FRANKENSTEIN’ GOVERNMENT?

This paves the way for a repeat of the 2019 election result, whereby the PSOE teams up with new leftist alliance Sumar, and seeks support from a myriad of smaller parties. The current administration has been governing in a minority this way over the last few years, but it has cost Sanchez dear: his concessions to Catalan separatists, including pardons for the jailed leaders of the 2017 independence drive, have come with huge political fallout, while agreements with EH Bildu in order to pass legislation have raised the ire of conservative voters and victims’ associations alike.

A REPEAT ELECTION?

Another possible outcome from July 23 is that Spaniards will be forced to return to the polls: if the result is inconclusive, and no party can find the support in Congress to select a prime minister and form a government, the elections may have to be rerun. This, however, could mean that the country is left with a caretaker administration until well into 2024.

IT is in many ways the Doomsday scenario for Spain … and certainly Gibraltar (you’ll need to read to the end).

But, what seemed impossible a year ago is now a terrifying reality with Spain’s July 23 general election set for next weekend.

As Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sweet-talks his way around Spain on the traditional campaign tour, he may just be sleepwalking his way into allowing a fascist party into Moncloa Palace.

For (far) right up his rear-end - and with activists shadowing his every move - is the extreme nationalist party Vox, which is odds-on to become the dealmaker by the end of the month.

With an anti-EU agenda and policies to ban abortion, scrap gender violence laws and eject immigrants from Spain, the new party has understandably been labelled as ‘fascist’ and ‘neo-Nazi’.

So it’s alarming that Vox will likely hold the balance of power, expected to win between 11 and 14% of the vote (37 to 40 seats, next week). As, when coupled with the expected 135140 senators (33-35%) for the right

THE COWARDLY HYPOCRITE Santiago Abascal

Leader Santiago Abascal will once again stand as the party's candidate for the Presidency.

The 47-year-old - who appeared a-la-Putin, riding a horse during the last election campaign as if he was a Spanish Conquistador - is wellknown for his blatant hypocrisy.

While he