Spanish electoral authority rejects to recount invalid votes cast in Madrid

GENEVA

The Spanish electoral authority has turned down the Socialist Workers Party's (PSOE) plea to review over 30,000 rejected votes cast in Madrid in last month's general elections.

While ensuring the cleanliness of the electoral processes, the Central Electoral Commission stated on Monday that "no irregularity" was found in the July 23 general elections. Therefore, the authority said in a statement that there is no need to review the invalid ballots.

After the results of the general elections were announced, the PSOE petitioned the electoral authority, requesting a review of 30,302 invalid votes cast in Madrid, as the right-wing People's Party (PP) obtained 137 seats, one more than primary results shown, due to votes polled by Spaniards living abroad.

The Socialists insisted that all invalid votes cast at the ballot box be reviewed one by one, given the narrow margin that separates the last seat for Madrid won by the PP and subtracted from the PSOE.

Vox to back PP for coalition government

Meanwhile, the far-right Vox party has announced its support for the PP and its leader, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, in order to prevent a possible PSOE coalition government led by acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the party expressed concern that Sanchez would be sworn in as prime minister with the support of exiled Carles Puigdemont, the leader of Catalan separatist parties Junts Per Catalunya, EH Bildu, and Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC).

"Vox denounces that said the government would constitute a serious threat to the constitutional order and coexistence, with the possibility that Sanchez would even grant a referendum on self-determination, as the rebels demand, which would mean a coup promoted by the government itself that it would probably lead to a breakdown of coexistence and social peace," it said.

Given the seriousness of the situation, the 33 Vox deputies would support a constitutional majority in the lower house that would allow the formation of a government that would avoid such threats, giving them the green light to join the coalition led by Feijoo.

Both the PSOE and PP fell short of the 176 seats needed for an absolute majority following the elections.