Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez set a 29 November election after parliament rejected housing decrees, following protests over rents and an eviction.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called an early general election for 29 November after parliament rejected two decree laws aimed at the housing crisis, the BBC reported.
In a televised address on Monday he said he needed a broader progressive majority that could overcome what he called the resistance of the elites. Speculation about a snap vote had built after Friday's defeats for the minority government.
The rejected measures included suspending evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, extending some rental leases, raising taxes on tourist apartments and restricting purchases by funds the government describes as vulture funds. Protests intensified after an 87-year-old woman was evicted when she could not afford a sharp rent rise.
Politico reported that Sanchez also faces corruption cases involving relatives and allies and pressure over migration in Ceuta. It cited a rise of about 80 percent in average home prices and 87 percent in rents from 2015 to 2025, against salary growth of about 30 percent.
Before parliament is dissolved, Sanchez plans to have the Council of Ministers reapprove the housing bills so a standing committee can still vote on them. The campaign will test whether housing outweighs the scandals and cost-of-living complaints that have dogged his eight years in office.
People Sentiments Mixed
- Nationwide protests over rents and an eviction of an 87-year-old woman increased pressure on the government.
- Sanchez framed the election as a way to beat what he called elite resistance to housing reform.