Spanish PM Sanchez calls early elections after housing decrees rejected

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday announced early elections for Nov. 29 after parliament rejected two government housing decrees amid mounting protests over the country's housing crisis. Speaking to reporters at his official residence in Madrid, Sanchez said he would convene his Cabinet later Monday to formalize the date, acknowledging that his government had made mistakes and required a stronger mandate to complete its reforms.

Sanchez told reporters that housing, inequality and public services remained unresolved challenges, framing the snap vote as a choice between continuing progressive reforms and joining a far-right wave that would roll back rights. “Spain is a global reference point for peace, feminism and prosperity,” he said, urging voters to ensure the country remained “a bastion of openness and social justice.”

Parliamentary defeat and street protests

The announcement follows Friday's defeat of two housing decrees drafted in response to protests sparked by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her Madrid home — a case that has become a rallying cry for demonstrators. The Catalan separatist party Junts joined the conservative Popular Party and far-right Vox in voting down both measures, despite last-minute negotiations with the government over parts of their content.

Thousands took to the streets across Spain over the weekend to demand action on housing, while protesters continued camping in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square. Spain last held a general election in 2023, when Sanchez's Socialist Party finished second and formed a coalition with the left-wing Sumar alliance, securing parliamentary backing from smaller parties including Junts.