Spain's far-right Vox eye share of power in Madrid

The people of Madrid vote on Tuesday in a regional election that has brought management of the Covid pandemic under scrutiny and highlighted Spain's deeply divided national politics.

After a rancorous campaign that has included death threats, the conservative regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, appears to be heading for victory, with some polls showing her Popular Party (PP) doubling its share of seats in the Madrid assembly.

But that might not be enough for her to avoid needing the support of another party in order to form a new administration.

The PP has governed Madrid for the last 26 years and since 2019 it has done so in a coalition with Ciudadanos (Citizens), which is expected to struggle to win any seats in this election. Instead, Ms Ayuso might have to turn to the far-right Vox, which is the third-biggest party in the Spanish parliament.

So far, the 42-year-old has batted away questions about that possibility.

"I want to govern alone," she said. "Coalitions are not good, particularly at times when deep-rooted reforms need to be implemented to recover normal life in Madrid."

Ms Ayuso's team are hoping that, even if she does not secure the 69 seats needed to form an absolute majority, that a divided left will be unable to prevent her from forming a minority administration. Such an outcome could still mean she needs Vox's support in a confidence-and-supply arrangement.