Pedro Sánchez prepones elctions after legislative defeat amid Spain's housing crisis

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Monday that there would be early elections after his government suffered a legislative defeat last week on emergency measures related to the country’s housing crisis.

The polls will be held on November 29.

Protests were held in cities across the country with citizens demanding solutions from the government over housing affordability. The public outrage grew over the televised eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid last month.


Right-wing opposition parties joined forces to vote-down the two emergency decrees in Parliament which included measures to reduce evictions and real estate speculation. The setback fuelled speculations that Sánchez could prepone the national election from next year.

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The Spanish president, in a televised address, argued that a broader progressive coalition in Parliament would allow the citizens to overcome the biggest issues facing the country.

“The time has come, therefore, for the Spanish people to decide what future you want for yourselves and for your country,” Sánchez said.

Sánchez has been Spain’s prime minister since 2018, making him one of Europe’s longest-serving statesmen.
He has become one of the predominant international progressive heads of government due to his defence of migration, his diplomatic efforts to defend Palestinians and his criticism of the US and Israeli military action against Iran.

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The politician ruled over one of the fastest growing economies in the developed world in recent years.

However, Sánchez has been ensnared in a series of legal cases involving his Socialist party as well as his wife and brother, who both deny wrongdoing.

The Spanish leader has also struggled to account for this summer’s border crossing by tens of thousands of mostly Moroccans into Spain’s North African territory of Ceuta.

He led a coalition minority government along with the left-wing junior partner Sumar since 2023, however, his dependence on several smaller parties to pass laws has cripples his legislative ability.

Sánchez, throughout his political career, earned a reputation as a political escape artist capable of winning elections he looked set to lose.

The Socialist leader is expected to face another tough election against the conservative Popular Party that holds the most seats in Parliament already and will aim to retake control of the government.