Spain Calls Snap Election Amid Housing Crisis and Migration Tensions

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a snap election for November 29 after his emergency housing measures were rejected by parliament on October 2. The defeat, caused by seven lawmakers from the Catalan separatist party Junts, prompted Sánchez to seek a broader progressive majority.

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. 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 highlight public discontent.

The government also contends with a migration issue following 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, drawing criticism from human-rights groups.

Opposition parties are positioning themselves for the vote. The centre-right People's Party (PP) leads in early polls, while the far-right Vox party has risen to just over 18 percent, up six points from the 2023 election. Vox leader Santiago Abascal has called for tougher migration policies and economic deregulation, and PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo may need a right-leaning partner to form a governing majority.

Sánchez, a prominent social-democratic figure in the EU, has been an outspoken critic of U.S. President Donald Trump’s defense spending demands and of more restrictive migration policies. His potential defeat could reduce the European Council’s most vocal opponent of Trump’s positions.