Recent data from a sociological survey in Spain has surprised even seasoned observers: if elections were held now, the Socialists would surpass their main rivals by a margin of 15 percent. Such a gap between the country’s two largest political forces has not been recorded for a long time.
Despite recent scandals involving the names Kerdán, Ábalos, and Koldo, as well as investigations surrounding Begoña Gómez, the brother of the head of government David Sánchez, and Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz, support for Pedro Sánchez’s party has only grown stronger. The Socialists are polling at nearly 35%, while the Partido Popular trails significantly with just under 20%. The gap between them has widened compared to the previous poll, where it stood at 9 points.
Interestingly, even amid corruption scandals, voters are not turning away from the Socialists. The Partido Popular under Alberto Núñez Feijóo has slightly improved its position but remains far behind. At the same time, Vox, led by Santiago Abascal, has drawn level with PP, receiving nearly 18% support. Moreover, Abascal has become the second most popular candidate for the head of government, surpassing Feijóo.
Pedro Sánchez, despite mixed reactions at public events, remains the country’s highest-rated politician. His average score is 4.44, and over 42% of respondents support him as their preferred candidate. The Sumar party has also strengthened its position, increasing its share of the vote to 7.7%. Podemos is also showing growth, though not as significant.
After Sánchez, Yolanda Díaz is viewed most favorably, receiving a score of 4.24. Abascal, despite gaining popularity, still does not boast high ratings—his average is 2.89. Feijóo received 3.46. The poll also mentions Isabel Díaz Ayuso, although she is not officially in the race, but about 5% of respondents see her as a potential head of government.
Among ministers, Carlos Cuerpo, responsible for economy, trade, and business, enjoys the highest level of trust—with a score above 5.4. He is followed by Pablo Bustinduy (social rights and consumer policy) and Margarita Robles (defense).
As for the issues of greatest concern to Spaniards, housing tops the list. More than a third of those surveyed consider this the most pressing issue. Next come migration and the quality of jobs.
The survey also addressed attitudes toward the Franco dictatorship period. The majority of respondents (over 65%) view those years negatively, and nearly three-quarters consider the current democracy to be significantly better than that era. However, about 17% hold the opposite opinion, believing the current system is worse than the dictatorship.
