Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called an early general election for 29 November, a move that comes after his minority government suffered legislative defeats on housing policy and mounting pressure from nationwide protests. The announcement, made in a televised address on Monday, caps a turbulent weekend of speculation about a snap vote.
The immediate trigger was parliament's rejection of two decree laws designed to address Spain's escalating housing crisis. The first decree sought to protect vulnerable tenants from eviction, while the second included more controversial measures such as the automatic renewal of rental contracts—a key demand of left-wing parties and tenant organisations. Both were voted down, leaving the government's housing agenda in tatters.
At the heart of the public anger is the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her Madrid apartment on 23 September. A legal loophole allowed her landlord to raise her rent from €500 to €2,650 per month, later reduced to €1,650—still €300 more than her monthly pension. Abascal was removed on a stretcher from the home she had lived in for over 70 years and was later hospitalised. Her lawyer has since said she will be able to return, but the episode has become a potent symbol of Spain's housing emergency.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona and other cities to demand stronger protections for renters. The scale of the protests underscored how housing has become a flashpoint in Spanish politics, cutting across generational and regional lines.
In his Monday address, Sánchez acknowledged his government's shortcomings. "We have made mistakes and have not achieved everything we had set out to do," he said, pointing to ongoing problems with inequality, public services and access to housing. He argued that pushing through reforms requires "a broader progressive majority" capable of overcoming "the resistance of the elites"—a phrase likely to frame his campaign message.
The two defeated decrees had been the coalition's primary response to the unrest. The first included a suspension of evictions for vulnerable tenants until 2030, a two-year extension for rental leases due to expire before 2028, tax increases on tourist apartments, and restrictions on purchases of residential properties by what the government calls "vulture funds." The second, more contentious decree would have automatically renewed rental contracts, a measure fiercely opposed by the political right.
Opponents argue that government intervention in the housing market will backfire. Juan Bravo of the conservative People's Party said last week that "housing doesn't get cheaper with decrees, it gets cheaper with more homes"—a line that encapsulates the right's critique that supply-side solutions, not regulation, are needed. The PP contends that the decrees would have reduced the number of available rentals and pushed prices even higher.
Sánchez's left-wing coalition, composed of his ruling Socialist party and the junior Sumar alliance, does not command a majority in parliament. This structural weakness has made legislative victories rare and forced the government to rely on fragile agreements with Catalan and Basque nationalist and pro-independence groups. The housing defeats were the latest in a series of setbacks.
Beyond housing, Sánchez's leadership has been buffeted by corruption scandals in recent months. In April, his wife, Begoña Gómez, was charged with corruption after a two-year criminal investigation. She is accused of using her position to influence business dealings—a case that has dominated headlines and fuelled opposition attacks. The government has also faced pressure over cost-of-living issues and immigration, further eroding its standing.
Spain was not due to hold a general election until the summer of 2027 at the latest, making the 29 November vote a significant gamble. Sánchez has been prime minister since June 2018, but his Socialist party finished second in the 2023 election. Although the PP won the most seats, it fell short of a majority, allowing Sánchez to remain in power through alliances with left-wing and regional parties.
Most opinion polls suggest the conservatives are likely to emerge as the largest party in the next election. However, they would probably need the support of the hard-right Vox party to form a government—a prospect that would mark a sharp rightward turn in Spanish politics. The PP's leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, welcomed the election call, saying: "At last, Spaniards will be able to decide." He framed the vote as a choice between "decline or change, lies or change, incompetence or change, division or change, corruption or change."
The coming campaign is expected to centre on housing, the cost of living and trust in government. For Sánchez, the election is a chance to convert public anger into a mandate for a broader progressive coalition. For the opposition, it is an opportunity to capitalise on the government's legislative failures and scandals. With the 29 November date set, Spain now enters a short, intense political season that could reshape its direction for years.
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