Spain Court Orders Names of 163,000 Voters

Spain's Supreme Court has ordered two government ministers to deliver the names of 163,020 individuals whose voting rights have been suspended. These individuals became Spanish citizens under the 2022 "grandchildren's law," which allows descendants of Spanish exiles to claim citizenship. Many of these people live abroad, making this case relevant for voters far from Spain.

The court gave the ministers until October 28 to provide the names, threatening a €1,000 fine (approximately US$1,120) per minister if the order is not followed, and warning of potential criminal investigation if non-compliance occurs. As a precautionary measure, the court temporarily suspended the voting rights of these 163,020 new citizens.

A consular certificate proving an ancestor's exile is now required for these individuals to vote on November 29. The court is reviewing a government directive that had previously assumed these citizens qualified as descendants of exiles. The deadline for filing candidate lists is October 26, with the official gazette publishing the lists on October 28, the same day as the court's deadline.

Candidates will be proclaimed on November 2, and the proclamation will be published on November 3. The Congress will have 350 seats, requiring a majority of 176 votes. A recent poll projected the conservative People's Party (PP) at 28.5%, the Socialists (PSOE) at 27.1%, and the conservative nationalist party Vox at 20.0%. A Kalshi prediction market shows the PP leading with 78% support for becoming prime minister, while Pedro Sánchez has 19%.

The Supreme Court's action comes five weeks prior to the general election on November 29, 2026, and could potentially impact the election timetable.