*[Enwl-eng] Spain goes to the polls
ENWL
 Spain's general electionSpain will hold a general election on Sunday amid a record-breaking heatwave. The political context in which the vote is taking place is, to say the least, complex. By law, Spanish elections were due to be held in 2023. Pedro Sánchez, the current prime minister, was supposed to call them by the end of the year, forcing the legislature to run out. This would also have prevented the campaign and the change of government (if any) from interrupting the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union, which began in early July. Everything changed two months ago, when the municipal elections were interpreted not as local matters but as a way to send a message to central government. When the right and extreme right came out ahead, Sánchez decided to bring the elections forward, in a bid to unite the left. In a few days, we will see if his move has produced the hoped-for result. It would not be the first time that municipal elections in Spain changed the course of history. In 1931, what should have been a local vote ended up leading to the fall of the Spanish monarchy and the establishment of the Second Republic. Depending on the election's outcome, the extreme-right party Vox could be the third force in Spain. One of its defining features is the defence of a certain form of Spanish nationalism, created in opposition to Basque and Catalan nationalism, that goes back to the 19th century. As Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Poland are suffering from a major heatwave, combatting the problems caused by climate change and the depletion of natural resources has become even more urgent. The European Union has long been engaged in a sustainable energy transition programme, but two camps are at loggerheads. France advocates an increased role for nuclear energy, while Austria and Germany are pushing for more renewable energy. With both sides in crisis, the solution seems likely to come from a recommitment to certain common principles, such as a move toward decarbonisation. Meanwhile, in the wake of the revolt of Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner group against Moscow, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko seems to be making his own tactical moves, trying to take advantage of Vladimir Putin's domestic weakness to strengthen his position. Finally, if you want to use your free time this holiday season to cook, we suggest watching one of the many TV shows led by now-famous cooks. They have gone from working in appalling conditions to becoming media stars and influencers. And by "they" we mean mostly men. - Claudia Lorenzo, Culture Editor for The Conversation Spain  The 1930s municipal elections that put an end to the monarchy in SpainAfter the municipal elections in May 2023, which were seen as a plebiscite on the government, President Pedro Sánchez called for general elections in Spain. Was this email
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