Spain to allow elections in Galicia, Basque regions

The Spanish government confirmed on Saturday that it will allow elections for the regional assemblies of the Basque Region and Galicia to be held.

The elections in the two northern regions of Spain should have been held on April 6, but had to be canceled because of the State of Alarm and the corresponding lockdown imposed because of the coronavirus crisis.

The Spanish State Bulletin (BOE) confirms that elections will now be able to go ahead, with the votes likely to be in July. It also said mail services will also be operational in order to allow voters to present postal votes when necessary.

Allowing the regional elections to be held was one of the conditions the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) requested of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for giving him their support on Wednesday's vote in the Spanish Congress to extend the State of Alarm until May 24, local media had reported.

On Friday, Spanish health authorities decided that both the Basque Region and Galicia met the conditions to move to the second stage (Phase 1) of the relaxation of lockdown measures in Spain on May 11.

Phase 1 allows stores of under 400 square meters to open at 30 percent capacity, while bars can open their terraces at 50 percent capacity, while social gatherings of up to 10 people will also be permitted.

(XINHUA)