Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced a snap election on October 5 amidst widespread protests across Spain due to the housing affordability crisis. The election, set for November 29, will cut short Sánchez’s term by six months, showcasing his willingness to take political risks.
The decision to call for the election came after the government faced challenges in gaining parliamentary support for two housing crisis-related measures. However, following the election announcement, the government made adjustments and approved the decrees, which now include rent caps, a temporary ban on evictions, and restrictions on companies purchasing homes.
Sofía Olivares, a 25-year-old student and spokesperson for housing advocacy group Derecho al Techo (Right to Housing), emphasized that the recent attention to social housing and affordability issues in Spain is a response to the escalating protests and unrest across the country.
Despite polls indicating a potential right-wing victory, Sánchez is banking on the housing crisis to rally support and secure a parliamentary majority. Since assuming office in 2018, he has relied on coalition partners to govern due to his socialist party never holding a majority in parliament.
The focus on housing affordability in Sánchez’s campaign aims to rally progressive voters while diverting attention from other political vulnerabilities, including corruption investigations within his inner circle and the crisis in Ceuta, where a surge of migrants from Morocco has strained local resources.
The housing demonstrations erupted following the forced eviction and subsequent death of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal, known as Maricarmen, who became a symbol of the housing crisis. Protests reminiscent of the 2011 Indignados movement have taken place in Madrid, with residents of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria also protesting housing conditions.
Olivares criticized the regional government for prioritizing tourism over housing policies, leading to a lack of rent controls and exacerbating the housing crisis in the Canary Islands. The shortage of public housing is a major concern, with over 30,000 people in the islands on waiting lists for public housing.
Right-wing parties argue that Sánchez’s migration policies are adding pressure to the housing market. Polls predict a conservative coalition, led by the People’s Party and including the anti-immigration party Vox, as the likely outcome of the election. This could bring the far right into Spain’s national government for the first time since the end of Francisco Franco’s dictatorship in 1975.
Critics warn that the government’s housing measures, such as rent caps, may hinder supply without addressing the root cause of the housing shortage in Spain. Calls for greater investment in public housing and streamlined building permit processes have been made to tackle the crisis effectively.
Garazi González, who experienced firsthand the impact of rising rents in Madrid, supports the housing protests and emphasizes the importance of preventing far-right influences in the government to protect social rights. Despite her dissatisfaction with the current government, she prioritizes safeguarding against fascism and ensuring a better future for the next generation.
