SPAIN went to the polls today in a general election that could make the country the latest European Union member to swing to the political right.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the early election after his Spanish Socialist Workers Party and its left-wing partner, Unidas Podemos, took a severe beating in local and regional elections in May.

Most opinion polls have put the right-wing Popular Party (PP), which won the May vote, ahead of the Socialists but likely to need the support of the far-right Vox party to form a government.

Such a coalition would return a far-right force to government for the first time since the country transitioned to democracy in the late 1970s, following the nearly 40-year rule of fascist dictator Francisco Franco.

A PP-Vox government would mean that another EU member had followed Sweden, Finland and Italy in putting the far right into government.

The election comes as Spain holds the rotating EU presidency. Mr Sanchez had hoped to use the six-month term to showcase his government’s advance, but defeat for him could see the PP take over.

However,the Socialists and a new movement called Sumar, which brings together 15 small left-wing parties, hope to pull off a surprise victory.