EXPLAINED: The four stumbling blocks for Spain's PM ahead of snap election

Main trade unions and housing advocacy groups in Spain have reached an agreement to stage a general strike on November 11th, just two weeks before the country's general election on November 29th. This marks the first general strike backed by both CCOO and UGT in 14 years, and it has received support from major regional unions such as CIG in Galicia and ELA and LAB in the Basque Country. The strike was agreed upon between the unions supporting the action and representatives of the housing protest organizations.

The planned stoppage has received criticism from employers' organizations CEOE and Cepyme, as well as certain professional unions. The opposition parties, such as the People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox, have also strongly opposed the strike. Despite this, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stated that his government will respect the right to strike, as it addresses concerns over access to housing for working men and women and their families.

This strike will be the ninth in history backed by CCOO and UGT, with the previous one taking place on November 14th, 2012. The last major strike occurred in 1988 under the socialist prime minister Felipe González. The upcoming housing protest aims to bring attention to a topic typically associated with labor reforms and austerity measures.