Housing protesters demand Spain's first general strike in 14 years

Madrid: Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, announced on Monday a snap election scheduled for November 29, following the rejection of his minority government's housing relief measures by parliament. The Socialist premier, one of the few left-leaning leaders still in power in the European Union, made the decision in response to nationwide protests over Spain's housing market crisis. The previous general election was set for August 2027, but the new date aims to secure a broader, progressive majority in parliament.

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Madrid and other Spanish cities on Saturday, demanding action on housing affordability. The eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her decades-old flat in Madrid was a key catalyst for the demonstrations. The housing bills, which included automatic renewal of tenancy contracts and restrictions on evicting vulnerable tenants, were voted down by opposition parties, sparking anger among protesters and highlighting the challenges Sanchez's coalition government faces in passing legislation.

Recent opinion polls show the main opposition conservative Popular Party (PP) leading in the polls. To form a government, the PP would likely need to partner with the far-right Vox party. Housing has been a top concern for Spaniards, with rents and house prices rising at alarming rates. The housing bills were rejected after the Catalan separatist party Junts voted against them, arguing that they were hastily drawn up and would exacerbate the crisis.

Sanchez, in power since 2018, has also faced corruption scandals involving people close to him and criticism over his handling of the migrant crisis in Ceuta.