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Date Published: 03/06/2024

What will happen in these European elections and how will it affect Spain?

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The EU election results will have an effect on Spain and people living in Europe for the next five years

What will happen in these European elections and how will it affect Spain?

This Sunday June 9, citizens of the European Union go to the polls to elect MEPs to the European Parliament.

Experts are predicting that right-wing parties will make gains in this election. In Spain, that means that the centre-right Partido Popular and the extreme right Vox party are forecast to earn more representation in the EU via the EPP and the ECR, among others, shifting the balance of power slightly to counteract the leftwing coalition government currently in power in Spain.

With the PP polling so far ahead in the EU elections, party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo has even considered calling for a motion of no confidence in the Spanish government following the elections if he deems that the public vote shows a lack of trust in the left, despite the fact they formed a government after national elections just over 6 months ago.

Broadly speaking, here is what the results of such an election could mean for people living in Spain over the next 5 years:

Environment

For years, right-wing parties have been fighting for fairer prices paid to farmers for their crops in comparison with food imported from outside of the EU. In Spain and across Europe, there have been protests by farmers in recent years to demand more subsidies and conditions that will allow them to earn more for their crops, and those protests prompted the EU to water down planned environmental legislation in February. A European Parliament that leans to the right could be more inclined to reduce environmental protection further in favour of agriculture and economic growth.

Immigration

One of the most pressing topics for many voters is immigration, and a shift to the right could see the EU crack down harder than ever before on boats bringing migrants to Mediterranean countries like Spain, Italy and Greece without documentation. It is estimated that between 20,000 and 50,000 people a year come to Spain illegally as a way of living in a European country or going on from here to the UK or North America. While the journey is an expensive and dangerous one, most people feel the need to make it in order to secure a better quality of life, such as access to work and healthcare. The vast majority of those who arrive cannot be sent back and there are limited resources for stopping them arriving in the first place.

Housing

Within Europe, Education and Housing are two issues which are normally dealt with at the nation state level without Brussels interfering too much. Spain has a glut of new build homes as construction starts to grow strongly again after the 2008 financial crisis, and a lot of homes that are standing empty even as many families struggle to meet rising rental prices and to get on the housing ladder for the first time. Any European Parliament wishing to gain popularity in Spain would be well advised to knuckle down on securing affordable housing for ordinary people.

Travel & tourism

Spanish autonomous communities, provincial authorities and municipal councils at city and town level have been assessing their options for ensuring, by legal means, that tourism is maintained in a sustainable and respectful way, considering measures such as tourist taxes, charging tourists to enter and modifying the laws surrounding tourist rental properties. It is unlikely that the EU would get deeply involved in such local issues, but Brussels do sometimes weigh in on rules and regulations for airlines' operations across the Eurozone, decisions which can affect ticket prices. Meanwhile, a large-scale, Europe-wide rail project is underway to improve connectivity over the coming years that could suffer changes due to political will.

See also: Spain fines Ryanair, easyJet and other airlines €150 million over hand luggage fees

Brexit and membership of the EU

A recent poll found that just 6% of Spaniards believe that being part of the EU is bad for Spain, but amongst Vox voters this rises to almost 15%. With more Eurosceptic parties in the European Parliament, there is a possibility that some countries will try to follow the lead of Great Britain in leaving the European Union, or at least weakening their ties with it. As for Spain, we are very unlikely to a 'Spexit' any time soon. However, there are ongoing negotiations about the future relationship of the UK-Spanish border in Gibraltar, and a change in management on the EU side might see Brexit talks get tougher and even more drawn out.

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