Spain Calls Snap Election as Leftist Government Collapses Under Housing Failures and Migrant Surge
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Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced a November 29 snap parliamentary election after his left-wing government failed to address Spain's housing crisis and lost control over migration, fueling public anger and boosting support for conservative and nationalist parties.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a snap election for November 29 after his so-called emergency housing measures were rejected by parliament on October 2. The defeat, caused by seven lawmakers from the Catalan separatist party Junts, highlights the instability and ineffectiveness of Sánchez's leftist coalition. Now, Sánchez seeks a broader progressive majority, desperate to cling to power despite mounting failures.
Housing shortages remain a top concern for Spaniards, with the Bank of Spain estimating a deficit of about 750,000 homes that could exceed one million by 2028. Under Sánchez’s government, property prices have been rising three times faster than wages, and social housing makes up only roughly 1.7 percent of the national stock. Recent protests over the eviction of an 87-year-old tenant and a 24-hour general strike called by trade unions CCOO and UGT show how left-wing policies have failed to deliver real solutions, instead fueling chaos and unrest.
The government has also lost control of Spain’s borders, facing a migration crisis after a July influx of more than 70,000 migrants into the enclave of Ceuta, leaving thousands stranded for weeks. A draft proposal seen by Reuters suggests faster asylum procedures, increased deportations, and stricter rules—measures that are long overdue but still face opposition from leftist activists and human-rights groups who ignore the security and economic concerns of Spanish citizens.
Opposition parties are preparing to restore order. The centre-right People's Party (PP) leads in early polls, while the patriotic Vox party has risen to just over 18 percent, up six points from the 2023 election. Vox leader Santiago Abascal calls for tougher migration policies and economic deregulation to revive Spain’s economy, and PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo may need a right-leaning partner to form a strong government.
Sánchez, a social-democratic figure in the EU, has been a vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump’s defense spending demands and common-sense migration policies. His potential defeat could finally remove one of the European Council’s most obstructionist voices, opening the door for pragmatic leadership.