Voter turnout outpaces 2019 election

Spain’s interior ministry said by 2pm local time (12:00 GMT), voter turnout stood at around 40.5 percent, up from 37.9 percent recorded at the same time during the 2019 elections.
Polls opened at 9am local time (07:00 GMT) in a potentially close-run general elections marked by ideological differences and the prospect of the first far-right party in government since Francisco Franco’s dictatorship ended in the 1970s.
Sanchez says he has ‘good feelings’ about election outcome
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said he had “good feelings” about the election outcome as he went to a polling station to vote, TVE footage showed.

A small group of people shouted “liar” and a similar-sized group shouted “prime minister” at Sanchez.

His government has passed progressive laws on euthanasia, transgender rights, abortion and animal rights and has told voters such rights could be stripped back if the anti-feminist, family values-focused Vox is part of the next government.

Sanchez called the election early after the left took a drubbing in local elections in May, but his gamble to wrong-foot his opponents could backfire.

Many Spaniards are furious at being called out to vote at the height of the sweltering summer when they are on vacation.Any result will be ‘heroic’, says Abascal
According to the Spanish daily, El Pais, far-right Vox party candidate Santiago Abascal said any result for the party is “heroic” as voting takes place across the country.

Abascal said, “any result that Vox obtains in these circumstances will be a heroic result.”

As Abascal went to vote earlier on Sunday, he attacked the media and called it “intolerable interference”.

He did not share how many seats he was expecting to gain but that he hopes that “through a massive mobilization, the polls will allow a change of course.”

But, “this was probably not the best time to call elections”.

Voter turnout outpaces 2019 figures
So far, voter turnout has stood at around 40.5 percent by 14.00 local time (12.00 GMT), according to the Interior Ministry.

Sunday’s numbers outpaced the 2019 election, which at the same time recorded a 37.9 percent turnout.

It is important to note that postal voting, which a record 2.5 million Spaniards recorded to vote is not included in the figures.All four main candidates vote, urge supporters to do the same
All four main political leaders have voted this morning, with Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez the first at around 9am local time (07:00 GMT) and the last, Yolanda Díaz, head of the left-wing Sumar coalition.

Journalist Alasdair Fotheringham, reporting from Madrid, said the four leaders urged their supporters to come out and vote despite the sweltering heat.

Diaz said that “these are the most important elections” of her generation because “the next decade is at stake”.

A press conference at 2:30pm local time (12:30 GMT) will provide the first details of voter participation, he added.