In May, when Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (Social Democrats) announced a surprise general election in the summer, he said the vote should “clarify” what direction the country should take.

The scenario after the parliamentary election last Sunday, nevertheless, could not be more complex.

Spaniards not only decided that none of the parties would have a majority. They also distributed their votes in a way that almost no combination of political groups can aspire to form a government.

On the right, the winner of the election, the conservative PP, has almost no chances to reach a parliamentary agreement, even if they received the support from hard-right party Vox. On the left, Sánchez could only remain in power if he convinced not only his natural allies of Sumar (leftists) but also four other small parties.

In this context, the media speak of the feared “blockade” in which only a ‘grand coalition’ of the two main parties could build a stable government. But in a context in which social democrats and conservatives accuse each other of “lies” and “betrayals”, this option seems to be off the table.

Evangelical Alliance: “Dialogue and compromise” needed now

This culture of seeing the other as an enemy needs to change, the secretary general of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance (AEE) told Evangelical Focus.

“These elections have resulted in a situation in which it will be unavoidable to make use of the abilities for dialogue and compromise in order to form a government”, X. Manuel Suárez said.

“But the collective mentality of Spaniards and their political leaders is in no way prone to this. The dispersion of the vote has not led to a softening of positions, but rather to an increase in tension; consequently, one can foresee an unstable and tense legislature”, observes Suárez, a medical doctor who has experience in interacting with politicians from different backgrounds.

A week before the election on 23 July, the Spanish Evangelical Alliance in Spain issued ‘Vote with and informed opinion’, a document authored by a dozen of Christians in the country addressing issues such as economy, education, culture, healthcare, Europe, and the role of Roma people.

Suárez, who coordinated this initiative of the Alliance’s working group on Public Life, told Evangelical Focus he thinks “evangelicals, without renouncing to their firm convictions, should be an instrument of moderation, flexibility, dialogue and compromise”.

Christians are not exempt from polarisation

Suárez laments that “not a few” of these Christians in Spain “have turned to the same polarisation and tension”.

For the leader of the Evangelical Alliance, “it will be necessary to pray and to prepare the Evangelical population itself to fulfil its genuine role at this time”.

The law states that if no candidate is successful in getting the support of the majority of the 350-seat Congreso de los Diputados (Congress of Deputies) in Madrid, a new parliamentary election has to be announced after three months.