Vox surges as PSOE sinks in Aragón election, locking in a sharper rightward turn

PP wins but depends on a stronger Vox

Aragón’s 2026 regional election has redrawn the political map to the right, with the conservative Partido Popular (PP) winning the most seats but only being able to govern with a much stronger Vox at its side. Voters have punished the PSOE with one of its worst results in the region, while smaller parties on the left and centre have been squeezed almost out of existence.

The PP finishes first with around two dozen seats, clearly ahead of the socialists but still short of the 34 needed for an outright majority in the 67‑member regional parliament. That arithmetic leaves the party dependent on a reinforced Vox, which has doubled its representation and now holds the balance of power in any future government deal.

Vox doubles its seats and overtakes old PSOE turf

The standout story of the night is Vox, which doubles its seats compared with the last election and posts its best result in Aragón since entering regional politics. The party gains support in all three provinces, with especially strong advances in Zaragoza and Huesca, and consolidates itself as the main force to the right of the PP.

In many medium‑sized municipalities and rural areas, Vox jumps ahead of PSOE and becomes the second‑largest party, eating into parts of the traditional socialist vote. The party capitalises on discontent over national policy, concerns about the rural economy and frustration with what it portrays as years of neglect from both Madrid and regional authorities. Its leaders now insist that their electoral weight entitles them not just to backing a PP government from outside, but to a direct role in the regional cabinet.

PSOE suffers a historic setback

PSOE, by contrast, suffers a clear setback, losing several seats and a significant share of the vote compared with the previous regional contest. The socialists see their map of strongholds shrink, retaining support in parts of Zaragoza city but slipping badly in provincial capitals and smaller towns where they once dominated.

Local socialist leaders acknowledge the result as a serious warning but blame part of the damage on national dynamics: voter fatigue with years in government and anger over contentious deals in Madrid. In Aragón, the party also struggles to differentiate its regional record on services and investment from broader national narratives about taxes, migration and the rural‑urban divide.

Smaller parties squeezed out

The new parliament is also notable for who is missing. Leftist and regionalist formations that once propped up progressive coalitions either lose all their seats or cling on with minimal representation. Voters appear to have polarised between the main blocs of left and right, leaving little space for intermediary forces that previously acted as kingmakers.

This collapse of the smaller parties simplifies seat arithmetic but also hardens the tone of regional politics. With fewer centrist or regionalist voices to mediate, negotiations between PP and Vox over a governing pact are likely to be tougher and more ideologically charged, particularly on culture‑war issues, migration and climate policy.

Implications for a PP–Vox government

The result almost guarantees that any right‑wing government in Aragón will be shaped by Vox’s demands. The party has already signalled that merely supporting PP from outside is not enough and is calling for entry into the regional executive, with portfolios linked to agriculture, interior or education high on its wish list.

For PP, the dilemma is whether to grant Vox those posts and accept sharper policy shifts, or try to govern in minority while relying on issue‑by‑issue agreements. Either path comes with risks: a fragile minority could struggle to pass budgets, while a formal coalition would tie the conservatives more closely to Vox’s most controversial positions and could carry a cost in future national elections.

National reading: warning for PSOE, leverage for Vox

Nationally, the Aragón result is being read as a double message. For PSOE, it is another signal that parts of its traditional base are either staying home or drifting rightwards, particularly in regions where local grievances over prices, services and territorial balance feel acute. For PP, it confirms that the rightward tide is real but also that it cannot ignore Vox if it wants to convert votes into stable governments.

For Vox, Aragón becomes a showcase of its growing leverage: when the right wins, it cannot govern without them. How the party uses that leverage in the coming weeks — whether to secure a place in government or extract detailed policy concessions — will set a template not just for Aragón, but for future negotiations in other regions and, potentially, at the national level.