The PSOE (the ruling party in the current central government) and several other left-wing parties have agreed to field joint candidates for Senado in ... Spain's general election on 29 November. Running under the name 'Senado de Progreso', they aim to unite left-wing voters and win enough seats to end the PP party's absolute majority in the upper house of parliament.
The pact brings together the PSOE, Izquierda Unida, Movimiento Sumar, Compromís, Más Madrid, Chunta Aragonesista and Batzarre. PSOE and Més-Izquierda Unida-MSumar have also forged an alliance across the four Balearic Islands, as well as among the progressive forces on La Gomera.
The aim is to prevent the splitting of the vote among different candidates from reducing the left's representation.
The agreement comes after the PSOE began exploring the possibility of standing alongside other progressive parties in early October. The PSOE was considering this approach in an attempt to wrest the absolute majority in the upper house from the PP.
The initiative was a response to the need to coordinate candidate lists in the face of an electoral system that may favour the parties receiving the most votes in each constituency.
The proposal has also been backed by the Senadoras y Senadores por la Democracia platform, which advocated the submission of unified lists to prevent progressive votes from splitting across different parties. The organisation has welcomed the agreement and thanked the political parties for responding to civil society's call, following months of campaigning and gathering support.
In its statement, the platform argues for the need for an upper house focused on improving legislation, strengthening territorial cohesion and addressing social issues such as access to housing. It also believes that the joint candidacy can help to mobilise the progressive electorate ahead of the election.
The composition of the next Senado will be significant for the ability of parliamentary groups to take action and for future institutional decisions. In the 2023 general election, the PP secured 120 elected senators, compared with the PSOE's 72, enabling the PP to consolidate its absolute majority in the upper house. The new agreement aims to change this, although the outcome will depend on the public's vote on 29 November.