Spain’s prime minister set a 29 November election after parliament rejected housing decrees linked to nationwide protests. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo welcomed the vote and promised more homebuilding.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called an early general election for 29 November after parliament rejected proposals aimed at a housing crisis that has drawn nationwide protests. Reuters reported the vote is a gamble because Sánchez’s Socialists trail in most polls.
The rejected measures were tied to emergency housing decrees. Reuters said opposition parties welcomed the decision to go to the country. People’s Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo pledged to almost double homebuilding to 200,000 units a year and to cut taxes if his party wins, calling housing the current government’s great failure.
Reuters also reported that Sánchez planned to try to force through the two rejected housing decrees through a rarely used mechanism. When the 350-member chamber is dissolved, a standing body of 68 members plus the speaker remains able to pass emergency legislation, and that body has a slim majority for the measures, according to the Reuters account of reporting by TVE and El País.
The election opens a path for the far-right Vox party to enter government for the first time since the Franco era if the right assembles a majority, Reuters noted. Housing costs and protests are expected to dominate the short campaign.
Official campaign timetables and candidate lists were still being set after the announcement. The next formal step is publication of the election call and the dissolution process in parliament.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Alberto Núñez Feijóo called housing this government’s great failure and pledged more building.
- Opposition parties welcomed the decision to hold an election.