Spain's Sánchez Calls Snap Election After Housing Bill Defeat and Mass Protests

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday announced a snap general election for 29 November after his minority government suffered a parliamentary defeat when proposed measures to ease the country's housing crisis were voted down.

The Defeat and Election Call

The bills, which included the automatic renewal of tenancy contracts and limits on evicting vulnerable tenants, were rejected in parliament on Friday. In a televised address Sánchez — prime minister since 2018 — said:

"To do more, we need to renew and broaden the support of the people ... to secure a much broader, progressive majority in parliament."

Street Protests and a High-Profile Eviction

Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities demanding affordable housing after the parliamentary vote. The political unrest intensified following the eviction last month of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from a Madrid flat where she had lived for decades. Campaigners say the building was acquired by an investment firm that sought to increase her rent by around 275%, sparking national outrage.

Hundreds of activists have occupied a tent city in central Madrid for more than a week to press for reforms. The public backlash prompted the new owners in Abascal’s case to reach a deal allowing her to return to the flat at a reduced rent.

Economic Context: Soaring Rents and Prices

Housing has been a top concern in Spain as supply lags behind demand. According to real-estate site Idealista, average rents have almost doubled over the past decade while asking prices for homes have risen by roughly 90%. Many Spaniards say strong macroeconomic growth has not translated into better living standards: inflation and housing costs have outpaced wage growth, leaving rents to take an increasing share of household income.

Political Fallout and Challenges

The bills failed in part because Junts, a Catalan separatist party whose support Sánchez’s minority coalition relies on, voted against them, arguing the measures were rushed and could worsen the crisis. The defeat highlighted the difficulty of passing contentious reforms in a fragmented parliament.

Polling shows the conservative Popular Party (PP) leading the Socialists, though most surveys suggest the PP would fall short of an absolute majority and likely need the support of the far-right Vox to form a government. PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo welcomed the decision for an early vote, saying: "If eight years have not been enough, why would four more be?"

Other Pressures on Sánchez

Sánchez defended his record, noting Spain’s faster economic growth relative to some peers and a decline in unemployment under his leadership. However, his administration has faced corruption allegations involving people close to him, and criticism over the handling of a recent migrant influx into the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where thousands crossed into Spanish territory and many remain in makeshift camps.

Outlook: The snap election sets the stage for a highly contested national campaign focused on housing affordability, economic fairness and migration — issues that have already fueled significant street mobilization and could reshape Spain’s governing coalitions.