Sanchez to give address amid speculation over elections

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is set to deliver a televised address today, as his office confirmed, following the rejection of housing relief measures by Spain's parliament. This development has sparked speculation about whether Sanchez may call for early elections, given his minority government's vulnerability. The rejection of the government's proposal, which included measures such as automatic renewal of tenancy contracts and restrictions on evicting vulnerable tenants, has deepened political turmoil for Sanchez, who has been in office since 2018.

His government has been operating under the last national spending plan passed in 2023 for several years now. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Madrid and other cities on Saturday, demanding affordable housing, while recent opinion polls suggest the main opposition conservative Popular Party is currently ahead of the Socialists in public opinion.

The eviction of an 87-year-old pensioner, Maricarmen Abascal, from her Madrid home last month has catalyzed long-standing grievances over soaring housing costs. Abascal was forced to leave her century-long residence after it was acquired by an investment firm seeking to increase her rent by 275%, a move that sparked outrage among housing advocates.

The rejection of Sanchez's housing bills by the Catalan separatist party Junts, which provides crucial support to his government, underscores the challenges his coalition faces in passing legislation.