The snap election called just eight weeks ago in Andalusia will take place this Sunday.
Observers will be waiting anxiously for the outcome. Andalusia represents 20% of all voters in the country and the result may signal what will happen in elections scheduled for this year.
It is a critical race for the new political group Podemos as it is the first election since the one in Greece where the Podemos ally, Syriza, stormed ahead.
The party’s slogan for its regional campaign is “The change begins in Andalusia.” It is hoping later municipal, regional and general elections later this year will sweep it into power.
But recent opinion polls suggest Podemos is in third place, after the Socialists and the governing People’s party. The younger, centre-right Ciudadanos was polled in fourth place.
However, there is scope for change as 20% of the 3,200 people questioned said they were still undecided.
Even if Podemos comes in third, it could prevent the Socialists from achieving a majority and they would then have to find coalition parties.
The situation would put Podemos in difficulties; an alliance with the Socialists could hinder their message of change, but not joining a coalition could destablise the regional parliament, lending credibility to opposition claims that a vote for Podemos is a vote for instability.
The Socialists in Andalusia are embroiled in allegations of misusing hundreds of millions of euros in public funds earmarked for the unemployed.
Podemos has limited its campaign spending to €400,000 which is about 10 times less than either the People’s party or Socialists. The money has all come from crowd-funding. Candidates often have to pay their own costs for attending campaign meetings.
Podemos has five members of the European Parliament.
Anadalusia suffers the highest unemployment in Spain, namely 42% overall and an alarming 69% for those aged under 30, according to Podemos, which also claims that one in four people live in poverty.
It says it would focus on boosting industry in the region so that young people could find work.
