MADRID, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Spaniards will go to the polls on Sunday in an atypical general election that determines the country's political future for the next four years.
The snap election on July 23 was called by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez after his ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) suffered unexpectedly poor results in regional and local elections on May 28.
That means Spain will vote at the height of the summer holiday season, a special circumstance which has forced around 2.6 million Spaniards to cast postal votes, and which could have a detrimental effect on voter turnout if Sunday turns out to be an exceptionally hot day.
The latest opinion polls published on Monday predict a narrow victory for the right-wing People's Party (PP) led by Alberto Nunez Feijoo against Sanchez's PSOE, but no party is expected to secure a majority.
Sanchez, during his five years in power, has pushed forward a progressive social program, with increases in women's rights and gender equality, along with significant increases in pensions, the basic minimum wage and a labor reform bill, which has increased job security.
In the meanwhile, Spain currently has more people at work than ever before and is predicted to have the highest economic growth in the eurozone.
Despite social advances during his mandate, Sanchez has paid the price for unpopular lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was also criticized by the right-wing People's Party (PP) and the far-right wing Vox for the pact with Basque and Catalan nationalist parties to allow his government to get key legislation through parliament.
Sanchez has made it clear that if his party retains power, he will need to form a coalition with the Sumar party for support. Sumar was formed by Yolanda Diaz, the current Minister for Labor and second deputy Prime Minister.
The PP is presenting a program based on tax cuts and the elimination of taxes on 'great fortunes', more help for the self-employed and measures to reduce unemployment among women.
The main issue on Sunday appears to be whether Feijoo will win enough votes to govern alone, or if he will need to form a coalition government. If he needs to form a coalition, the issue then is whether he will unite with the extreme right-wing Vox, which is predicted to win around 13 percent of votes.
Vox, led by former PP member Santiago Abascal, is anti-abortion and anti-euthanasia and against nearly all laws regarding gender equality. It has also promised to overturn all of Sanchez's climate change laws and all "globalist impositions" on climate change if it wins the election.
