The elections took place following a period of instability dominated by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 and its political and economical consequences, including the worst worldwide recession since the Great Depression resulting from the massive lockdowns enforced to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, as well as the economic impact of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The People's Party (PP) emerged as the first political force and was able to flip the control of a large number of major cities, despite winning the popular vote to the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) by just three percentage points.

[1] Voting for the local assemblies was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered and residing in the corresponding municipality and in full enjoyment of their political rights, as well as resident non-national European citizens and those whose country of origin allowed Spanish nationals to vote in their own elections by virtue of a treaty.

This did not apply to municipalities which, as a result of their geographical location or the convenience of a better management of municipal interests or other circumstances, made it advisable to be organized through the open council system (Spanish: régimen de concejo abierto), in which voters directly elected the local mayor.

[20] During the month of May 2023, amidst the local elections campaign in Spain, numerous instances of vote-buying came to light in various municipalities across the country.

The Canary Islands use WET (UTC+0) instead):[28] The following table lists party control in provincial capitals, as well as in municipalities with a population above or around 75,000.

[31][32] Political parties from across the spectrum were caught by surprise,[33][34] particularly the leaders of the opposition People's Party (PP), who were reportedly feeling upset over the election call preventing them from politically capitalizing on their local elections' gains.