Spain Heads to the Polls on November 29 as Sánchez Gambles on a Snap Vote

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has set November 29 as the date for a national vote, roughly nine months sooner than planned, since the contest was not due until before August 2027. For months he had said he would serve out his full term, so the reversal surprised many. In his televised statement he asked voters for a stronger progressive majority in parliament, conceded that he had made mistakes and broken some promises, and acknowledged that part of his own base is unhappy with him.

Housing Crisis Sparks Political Turning Point

The decision came days after lawmakers in the lower house blocked his package aimed at easing the housing shortage. Large demonstrations over steep rents and evictions of vulnerable tenants have filled Spanish cities, and more are planned. Because the proposals were popular, their defeat by right-wing deputies has given the government a lift. Political analyst Eduardo Bayon says Sánchez will not find a better moment.

Election Risks for the Socialist Party

The Socialists still trail in surveys, and the most likely outcome is a government led by the conservative People’s Party with Vox, a far-right force. That would put the far right in national government for the first time since democracy returned after Franco’s death in 1975, and end one of the last left-leaning administrations in Europe.

Who Is Pedro Sánchez?

Sánchez, 54, has governed since 2018, after ousting the previous government through a no confidence vote, and he won snap elections in 2019 and 2023. His minority government has been shaken by corruption cases touching his party and circle, including his wife and brother. He has not been named in any of them and calls them a campaign against him. He has also repeatedly clashed with Donald Trump over defense spending, migration, Gaza and free speech.