Sánchez sets November 29 for early election after parliamentary and regional defeats

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called a snap election for November 29, addressing Spaniards in a televised statement.

Speculation about an early vote gained momentum on Friday after parliament rejected two emergency housing bills submitted by the government.

The prime minister suffered a heavy defeat in regional elections held in Extremadura, the first electoral test for his Socialist Party. His minority coalition has struggled to pass legislation since taking office in 2023. The recent loss was significant because providing affordable housing is a key issue for the party's supporters.

Sánchez's term runs until July 2027, but government approval ratings have fallen in polls for months, while the conservative People's Party and the far-right Vox party have enough support in surveys to form a coalition government.

The parliamentary defeat could give Sánchez and the Socialist Party an opportunity to craft an electoral message against the right.

Sánchez first came to power in 2018 and has not completed a full term so far after calling early elections twice; he has spent eight years in office dealing with a series of crises.

During his current term he has been unable to present a single government budget, at a time when corruption cases linked to his party or members of his family have multiplied.

This summer the illegal arrival of roughly 80,000 migrants to the Spanish city of Ceuta in North Africa sparked a wave of social discontent.