Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calls snap election for November 29

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Monday that snap general elections will be held on November 29. The decision follows the rejection by Congress of two emergency decrees aimed at addressing the national housing crisis. These measures were defeated on October 2 by a coalition of the conservative People’s Party, the far-right Vox, and the Catalan separatist party Junts per Catalunya, leaving the government unable to pass key legislation.

The parliamentary defeat occurred amid widespread public protests triggered by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, who was removed from her Madrid home after seven decades. Sánchez, whose minority coalition faces significant challenges, admitted that his administration has made mistakes but argued that the current divided parliament prevents necessary reforms. He is seeking a stronger mandate to overcome resistance from what he termed as entrenched economic and social elites.

Looking ahead, reports from Europa Press indicate that the Cabinet intends to resubmit the housing decrees for approval in an attempt to provide immediate relief to tenants. Meanwhile, Sánchez remains under pressure due to trailing in opinion polls and accusations of corruption within his party, making this election a high-stakes effort to secure a progressive majority for his administration.