Campaigning for July 23 general elections kicks off in Spain

MADRID: Campaigning for Spain's general election scheduled to be held on July 23 has kicked off, with incumbent Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Alberto Nunez Feijoo from the People's Party being the major contenders.

Asking for the "majority confidence" of the Spanish people, Sanchez, as candidate of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, launched his election bid here on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

He assured that his party would be the "first political force", and vowed to help relieve the mortgage burden on the people.

"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," said Sanchez.

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,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.