Some five million Spaniards broke off family or friendship relationships last year for political reasons, or 14% of the adult population eligible to vote, according to a report by the More in Common organization. The most common experience among voters of all colors is discussions about politics on Christmas and New Year’s Eve: 20% have witnessed or participated in one last Christmas, although the majority avoid speaking out in their daily lives to avoid discussion. The study shows a growing sense of division among citizens, with levels of polarization higher than in other European countries such as Germany, Italy or France, and shows that the issue that most divides voters’ opinions is immigration.
Those who cut ties the most in 2025 are Podemos voters, indicates this study, who also admit to being those who abandoned WhatsApp groups the most and those who had the most heated discussions for political reasons. However, the data indicates that the most intolerant towards people from other political groups are those on the right: on a scale of one (very negative feelings) to seven (very positive), supporters of the PP and Vox give less than three to voters of other parties, especially those of nationalist formations like Bildu, the lowest rated by both.
In the table discussions that take place on these holidays, some of the following names will surely be mentioned: the politicians who most polarize the population according to those surveyed are Santiago Abascal (39%) and Pedro Sánchez (35%), followed by Isabel Díaz Ayuso (19%) and Carles Puidgemont (17%). But there is a clear difference between what voters on the right think, who consider Sánchez much more polarizing than Abascal, and those on the left, who place the leader of Vox and the president of the Community of Madrid above the president of the government.
All respondents value voters of the same sign above others; in fact, almost half of Spaniards admit that they mainly interact with people who are similar to them politically: 48% say that their closest circle of friends has similar or almost identical ideas to theirs. Those who have the closest friendship groups are those on Vox, six in ten say that their most intimate environment thinks like them or shares the same ideas. On the other side of the spectrum, the voters of Sumar maintain the most diverse friendships. They are the only ones to consider that the majority of their friends have “quite varied” or even “opposing” ideas.
After Dana, the feeling of unity grew (but it didn’t last)
Nearly two-thirds of the population believe that Spanish society is “somewhat” or “very” divided, a proportion that has barely changed in recent years, with one exception. After the Dana in the Valencian Community, the feeling of unity reached a peak: almost 40% considered that the society was “fairly” or “very” united, however, in April 2025 this feeling fell again, reaching values around only 15%. PSOE voters are the most optimistic in this sense, and they are also those who believe the most – above the total average – that, despite polarization, our political system is capable of solving the country’s main problems.
Those interviewed believe that what separates us the most are ideological differences. For 57%, the biggest division that exists in our society is between “people on the left and people on the right”, followed by the differences between the political class and citizens. The differences between rich and poor are considered less divisive than these two and the feeling of discord between the different autonomous communities regarding the year 2022 is increasing considerably.
The study shows broad consensus among supporters of all parties regarding public services. From Podemos and Sumar to Vox, the entire political spectrum agrees – or rather agrees – that health and education must be first and foremost public. Even far-right voters are far from supporting primarily private services. In the rest of the issues addressed in this study, such as gender equality, wealth redistribution or climate change, the total population is more to the left, with the exception of just one: immigration.
Immigration: where the left is furthest right
According to this report, the entire population is rather hostile to welcoming migrants. But, in addition, the data shows that this issue is the one on which the voters of Podemos, Sumar and the PSOE are the most right. If they are closer to accepting them than to rejecting them, that is where they come closest to equidistance. Between the view that immigration “enriches our society and our economy” and the view that it “threatens our culture and well-being,” the left, and especially socialists, fall almost in the middle. Vox voters are, by far, those who reject him the most, followed by those of the PP.
About The Author
