Opinion polling leaves little doubt Podemos could break into the mainstream of Spanish politics at next year’s general election

Opinion polls in Spain in October / November 2014 indicated that the left-wing Podemos (‘We Can’) party, which was only formed in January 2014, could gain the largest share of the vote in Spain’s 2015 general election. Paul Kennedy assesses the challenge the party poses to Spain’s traditional two-party system. He writes that a key indicator as to whether Podemos can translate its opinion polling numbers into actual support will be how it fares in upcoming regional and local elections in May 2015.

The founder of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, was officially appointed secretary general of Podemos after an online poll of its supporters on the 15 November 2014. In a radio interview on the 17 November 2014 he said that the new party was working hard on developing a programme to win the 2015 elections.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Spain's new leftist party takes lead in poll http://www.europeansources.info/record/spains-new-leftist-party-takes-lead-in-poll/

El País, 17.11.14: Fundamental criticism of Podemos little help (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE153748-Fundamental-criticism-of-Podemos-little-help

El País, 17.11.14: Podemos manifesto coming 'as soon as possible', says newly elected leader http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/11/17/inenglish/1416225726_100028.html

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