Crisis, Changes and Uncertainty: The Spanish Party System after the Great Recession

Abstract

This article provides a descriptive account of changes to the Spanish party system against the backdrop of both the recession, the string of high-profile corruption cases and tensions around an increase in pro-independence sentiment in Catalonia, with all these circumstances contributing to an upturn in political discontent and protest. Changes to the party system came gradually. First came the economic and political situation leading to defeat of the socialist party (PSOE – Partido Socialista Obrero Espanol) in the 2011 general election and then the erosion of dominance of Spain’s two main parties in the elections held in 2014 and 2015. Finally, the results from the general election of 20 December 2015 seemed to open a new electoral era for the Spanish party system, one characterized by greater fragmentation and polarization, the arrival of new political forces and the need for coalitions to form governments.