Spanish voters desert Pedro Sánchez's ruling Socialists after a deadly rail disaster as polls put his re-election in jeopardy

Spain's ruling Socialist Party has shed support in multiple polls after last week's rail disaster, with one survey showing the opposition Popular Party opening a double-digit lead. Pedro Sánchez, already governing without a parliamentary majority, now faces calls from within his own coalition to bring the election forward.

The crash, which killed dozens, triggered public fury at the government's emergency response and infrastructure record.

Bloomberg's poll average shows Socialists at their weakest rating in two years, with Vox also gaining ground on the right.