The official campaign for Spain’s snap parliamentary election began at midnight on November 13. Voting will take place on November 29, while parties will be allowed to campaign until the end of November 27. The following day will be a day of reflection.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the election around eight months earlier than initially expected after the government suffered a major parliamentary defeat in its attempt to pass a package of measures addressing the housing crisis. The vote is shaping up as a direct clash between the ruling Socialists, the People’s Party and Vox, as well as the left-wing formations grouped around Sumar.
“It is time for the Spanish people to decide what future they want for themselves and for their country,” Sánchez said when announcing the snap election. He is presenting the vote as a choice between progressive policies and a government backed by the far right. People’s Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo replied that “at long last, the Spanish people will decide.”
Housing Is the Leading Issue
The rental crisis and unaffordable housing became a central issue even before the official campaign began. On November 11, the country saw its first general strike in 14 years, organized with a primary focus on rents, prices and purchasing power. Mass demonstrations were held in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities.
On November 12, the interim parliamentary committee approved part of the government’s housing package by 35 votes to 34. The measures include extending protections against the eviction of vulnerable tenants, restrictions on the purchase of properties at severely discounted prices, and a tax on homes rented out to tourists on a short-term basis. According to The Associated Press, the implementation of some of the measures may depend on the election results, as the People’s Party has pledged to repeal them if it returns to power.
Another measure, which would have provided for the automatic renewal of housing contracts and compensation when they were terminated by the owner, was rejected by 34 votes to 35. The right argues that such a rule could prompt owners to withdraw their properties from the market.
The Vote Could Change the Government
Sánchez’s Socialist Party is seeking to preserve the current left-wing government, but opinion polls cited by Spanish media give the People’s Party and Vox the lead. The two formations hope to win enough seats to form a government without the current dependence on small regional parties.
The opposition intends to place immigration, corruption investigations involving government representatives, and the government’s actions during the crisis in Ceuta at the center of the campaign. The Socialists, for their part, insist that the main choice concerns housing, social protection and the future of public services.
On November 29, Spaniards will elect 350 members of the Congress of Deputies. The new balance of power will determine whether Sánchez gets the opportunity to continue governing or whether the People’s Party and Vox will try to form a right-wing government.
Sources: apnews.com, catalannews.com