Spain's PM Calls Snap Election Following Housing Cost Protests

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Monday that a snap parliamentary election will be held on November 29. The decision follows protests that shook the country in late September over the rising cost of housing.

Origins of the protests

Long-standing frustration over housing prices in Spain escalated into mass demonstrations after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from a property that had come into the ownership of an investment firm. Following widespread public outrage, the new owners allowed the woman to return to the home where she had lived for 70 years.

Tensions grew further in early October when right-leaning forces in parliament rejected two proposals from Sánchez's government aimed at addressing the housing crisis, further angering protesters.

The prime minister's announcement

In calling the election, Sánchez argued that a broader progressive coalition would be better positioned to tackle some of the country's biggest challenges. He said the time had come for Spaniards to decide what future they want for themselves and the country, while acknowledging mistakes made by his government and its failure to fulfill all of its campaign promises.

A risky gamble

Sánchez's Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) is currently trailing significantly in opinion polls, making the decision to call an election a risky political move. According to current polling, the most likely outcome would be a coalition between the conservative People's Party and the far-right Vox party.