Spain's conservatives ahead of Socialists before election - opinion polls

FILE PHOTO: Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks at a press conference during a NATO leaders summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/Fil1e Photo

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's opposition conservative People's Party (PP) is ahead of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's ruling Socialists (PSOE) but still short of winning a decisive majority in this month's general election, according to two tracking opinion polls published on Saturday.

To secure an absolute majority of the 350 lower house of parliament seats needed to form a government after the July 23 election, the PP would almost certainly have to ally with the far-right Vox party, opinion polls have shown.