Sánchez tries to revive Spain’s rejected housing laws after calling election

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for a snap general election on November 29, despite his government's recent failure to pass two housing decrees in Congress. The government is now set to attempt to revive the housing laws through the Diputación Permanente, a smaller parliamentary body that continues to operate while Congress is dissolved for the election.

This move is legal, but highly controversial, as the government could bypass opposition parties like PP, Vox, and Junts, who voted against the decrees. Critics argue that Sánchez is exploiting a constitutional mechanism to circumvent the loss of a critical vote. The government's emphasis will likely be on rescuing protections for vulnerable tenants, while more radical proposals, such as long-term automatic rental renewals, face greater political challenges.

The election campaign is likely to highlight Sánchez's stance against economic and social elites, as well as his relationship with major international investors, raising questions about the influence of these entities on Spain's housing policies.