One of the most notable shifts in the recent reorganization of the 28M political landscape was the disappearance of Ciudadanos, a party founded from a local impulse that responded to Pascual Maragall’s nationalist stance within his own PSC colleagues. It rose to prominence by defining a center-right position that combined liberal economic policies with social-democratic values. Albert Rivera, its former leader, became a focal point of controversy for voters when his apparent pivot toward leading the right, following a hypothetical and incomplete setback for the PP, did not sit well with many supporters who departed the party. The result of the 2019 second electoral round further weakened Ciudadanos and ultimately led to its exit from the political scene.
This sequence, coupled with the intense pre-election mood of the latest 28 March contest, prompted García-Page, the president of Castilla-La Mancha, to reaffirm a skeptical view of a viable center. He suggested that the center may no longer exist in practice as an autonomous political force. Yet this is a misreading of the political center, which is less a fixed geographic space and more an ideological reference. Western politics has long stood as a balance between two symmetrical choices that honor the European treaties and, in this country, the 1978 Constitution. Neither PSOE’s alignment with Podemos’s more radical proposals nor PP’s adoption of VOX’s nationalist and anti-immigrant tones has produced a fundamental realignment.
Spain has witnessed substantial political evolution, and the PSOE has faced practical limitations since the 2008 crisis and the 2017 no-confidence vote against Rajoy. This period reshaped parliamentary dynamics, with other left-leaning forces stepping in to sustain governance. Reforms to labor relations and the pension system carried cost, yet the aim was to restore balance after years of austerity. Other measures, such as moving the minimum wage closer to a living standard and expanding rights to housing, mark milestones that the constitutional framework has signaled as appropriate domains for progressive policy.
Historical elections since June 15, 1977 have shown that tensions around the 28M ballot can peak in surprising ways. The comparison to landmark moments in global politics—such as major US elections that elicited intense media scrutiny or disputed outcomes—underscores the enduring challenge of translating broad political ideals into stable governance. The underlying truth is that the postwar constitutional order remains a living document in which conservative and progressive forces continually negotiate influence. The 1978 Constitution did not grant a divine or permanent mandate to any side, and political actors must continually justify their leadership through policy results and public trust.
The emergence of VOX as a strong, confident voice on the right has reshaped public discourse and altered expectations about national unity, immigration, and regional autonomy. Critics argue that some campaign tactics resembled strategies associated with aggressive misinformation and attempts to discredit opponents. In this climate, the center did not vanish—it faced a loss of moral authority and public confidence. The outcome is a reminder that political centers endure not because they remain unchallenged, but because they adapt, moderate extremes, and continually earn legitimacy through practical governance that respects constitutional norms and democratic processes.