Spain PM Pedro Sánchez Calls Snap Election Amid Housing Crisis Protests

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election amid unprecedented nationwide demonstrations over housing affordability, cutting his parliamentary term short by six months.

Housing Protests Erupt Following Eviction and Death in Madrid

Protesters subsequently camped outside in Madrid in scenes reminiscent of the 2011 Indignados movement, while residents in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria also took to the streets to protest surging costs and tourism-driven displacement.

It is only now, with protests and unrest spreading across Spain, that they have started paying attention to social housing and to the question of where people in this country can afford to live.

Sofía Olivares, Derecho al Techo

Garazi González, a 36-year-old resident living in Madrid, told cbc.ca that she faced a steep rent increase from 800 to 950 euros before her landlady attempted to raise it to 1,500 euros and gave her just one month to leave. The Bank of Spain estimates that the country currently lacks about 750,000 homes, a deficit projected to exceed one million by 2028, with social housing accounting for just 1.7 per cent of Spain’s total housing stock.

Government Approves Rent Caps and Eviction Bans After Initial Pushback

A day after calling the snap election, the Spanish government approved two royal decrees modifying housing regulations to include rent caps, a temporary ban on evictions, and restrictions on corporate home purchases, cbc.ca reported.

Matos argued that the regulatory approach attempts to address a supply crisis without sufficiently increasing housing inventory. Meanwhile, right-wing parties contended that Sánchez’s immigration policies have added further pressure to the housing market, according to cbc.ca reporting.

Conservative Coalition Leads Polls Ahead of November Vote

Polling data indicates that a conservative coalition formed by the People’s Party and the anti-immigration party Vox is positioned to win the upcoming election, cbc.ca reported. Such an outcome would introduce the far right into Spain’s national government for the first time since the nation’s transition to democracy in 1975 following the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.

Economist.com noted that Prime Minister Sánchez has maintained power for eight years by leading minority governments through tactical alliances with populist left and separatist factions, including securing an amnesty for Catalan separatists in 2023. Sánchez has positioned housing affordability at the center of his campaign to unite progressive voters while navigating other political vulnerabilities, including corruption investigations and migration pressures stemming from Ceuta.

Voters Head to the Polls on November 29

Voters across Spain will cast their ballots on Nov. 29, 2026, to decide the composition of parliament and determine whether the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party can retain power or if the conservative opposition will form a new government.

More on this story: Spain Calls Snap Election After Housing Measure Rejection · Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Calls Snap Election After Defeat