Spain’s leading election candidates
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One of the most divisive elections in recent years sees political parties fighting more on emotional and identity issues, such as Catalonia’s botched independence bid, than on the economy
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Pedro Sánchez
Widely tipped to secure first victory for Socialist Party since 2008 after seizing prime minister’s job in 2018
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Pablo Casado
Struggling to revive conservative People’s Party, which has seen support plummet amid corruption scandal
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Albert Rivera
Centre-right Ciudadanos party could become kingmaker in power-sharing negotiations after election
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Pablo Iglesias
Leftwing Podemos, suffering from infighting over how hard-line party should be, has lost traction since last election
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Santiago Abascal
Vox could be first far-right party to win more than one seat in parliament since Spain’s return to democracy in 1970s
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SPAIN
Madrid 
Barcelona
FRANCE 
PORTUGAL
ANDORRA

CATALONIA Oct 2017 independence referendum was declared illegal by Spanish courts

100km 60 miles

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Sánchez’s refusal to negotiate binding independence referendum led Catalan nationalist parties to withdraw support for his budget, forcing call for snap election. Opinion polls suggest he will likely need their support to form new government

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Sources: Reuters, BBC, FT Pictures: Getty Images     © GRAPHIC NEWS