Spanish PM Sanchez calls snap election for Nov. 29 amid pressure over housing crisis

MADRID, Spain (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced early elections Monday after his government suffered a bruising legislative defeat last week on emergency measures related to the country’s housing crisis.

The vote will be held November 29.

In recent weeks, Spaniards have demanded solutions from the government over housing affordability, holding protests in cities across the country after public outrage grew over the televised eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid last month.

Right-wing opposition parties joined forces to scuttle two emergency decrees in Parliament that included measures to reduce evictions and real estate speculation. The setback sparked wide speculation that Sanchez could consider moving up a national election from next year.

In a televised address, Sanchez argued that a broader progressive coalition in Parliament would allow Spaniards to tackle the biggest issues facing the country today.

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

Sanchez, 54, has been Spain’s prime minister since 2018, making him one of Europe’s longest-standing leaders.

He has become one of the leading international progressive heads of government thanks to his defense of migration. He has also been among Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, atrocities triggered the two-year-long war there, as well as the wars in Lebanon and Iran.

In May 2024, Spain formally recognized a Palestinian state, joining a growing number of European countries advocating greater international recognition of Palestinian self-determination.

Earlier this year, Spain permanently withdrew its ambassador to Israel.

Sanchez has also enjoyed one of the fastest-growing economies in the developed world in recent years.

But the Spanish leader has been hemmed in by a series of legal cases involving his Socialist party as well as his wife and brother, who both deny wrongdoing.

He 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, where a humanitarian crisis remains two months after the initial crisis.

In August, Sanchez said there were signs that Russia and Israel had spread disinformation about Spain’s migration policy that triggered the previous month’s rush of migrants into Ceuta. Israel called the accusation a “brazen lie.”

He has led a coalition minority government along with the left-wing junior partner Sumar since 2023. But his reliance on several smaller parties to get anything done has hamstrung his legislative ability.

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

The Socialist leader appears set 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.

The formal dissolution of parliament will need to be approved by the Cabinet, which Sanchez has convened for Tuesday.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.