STORY: Campaigning for July 23 general elections kicks off in Spain
DATELINE: July 7, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:26
LOCATION: Madrid
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of campaigning
2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): PEDRO SANCHEZ, Prime Minister of Spain
3. various of campaigning

STORYLINE:

Campaign season for Spain's general election scheduled on July 23 kicked off on Thursday, with incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, candidate of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, and Alberto Nunez Feijoo from the People's Party, among others, being the major contesters for the post of the country's prime minister.

Asking for the "majority confidence" of the Spanish people, Sanchez launched his election bid in Madrid, assured that his party would be the "first political force," and vowed to help relieve the mortgage burden on the people.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish): PEDRO SANCHEZ, Prime Minister of Spain
"We are going to win the elections on July 23 and on the 24th Spain will continue to be governed by the socialist party. We are going to be the leading political force in Spain."

On May 29, Sanchez called a snap election on July 23 after his party lost elections in 12 of Spain's regional governments and over 8,000 city halls.

Polls showed that the People's Party, a right-wing political party, is in the lead, while the far-right Vox Party has also gained rising support.

Feijoo on Thursday commenced his campaign in Castelldefels in Barcelona, northeastern Spain, saying his party is mainly focused on solving the country's water shortages.

A total of 350 members of the Congress of Deputies, or the lower house, and 208 upper house Senators will be elected. Other parties also kicked off their campaigns on the same day.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Madrid.
(XHTV)