Madrid, October 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday announced an early general election for November 29 after his minority government suffered another setback in Parliament, with lawmakers rejecting two housing decrees aimed at addressing the country’s housing crisis.
The measures were voted down by the lower house on Friday despite efforts by the government to secure sufficient parliamentary support. The defeat came as Sanchez faced growing difficulties in maintaining his fragile parliamentary majority and advancing his legislative agenda.
Sanchez held discussions over the weekend with ministers and senior leaders of his Socialist Party (PSOE) before deciding whether to continue governing until the end of the parliamentary term or seek a fresh mandate.
Announcing the election, Sanchez called on voters to strengthen his government’s position in Parliament. In a message accompanying a video of his address on X, he said Spain needed to continue advancing on affordable housing, public services and social rights, adding, “On November 29, we’re going to make history. Again.”
The announcement follows several challenging months for Sanchez’s coalition government, which has had to negotiate legislative measures with parliamentary partners on a vote-by-vote basis and has suffered repeated defeats in Congress.
The government has also faced political pressure over corruption investigations involving individuals linked to the PSOE. The cases have added to concerns about the stability of Sanchez’s administration.
Migration has emerged as another major challenge. In July, thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta, prompting the government to deploy additional resources. Weeks later, authorities declared a “situation of interest for national security” for the first time in Spain’s democratic era.
The conservative People’s Party (PP) and far-right Vox have criticised the government’s handling of the migration episode and questioned its policy towards Morocco.
Sanchez’s decision to call an early election now puts the country on course for a November 29 vote, with the government seeking renewed parliamentary backing amid political and legislative uncertainty.
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