Spain’s PM Pedro Sánchez calls snap election after housing law fails to pass

<p>Election called after rightwing parties voted down emergency legislation aimed at tackling housing crisis</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/oct/05/europe-spain-pedro-sanchez-election-housing-france-school-protests-ukraine-russia-latest-news-updates">Europe live – latest updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has announced a snap general election three days after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/02/spanish-right-wing-votes-down-housing-crisis-plans-protest-movement-grows">rightwing parties torpedoed the emergency legislation</a> his minority government had put forward in response to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/03/spain-housing-protest">growing public anger</a> over the country’s housing crisis.</p><p>Sánchez, who has been in office since 2018, used a televised address to communicate his decision, which had been widely expected.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/spain-prime-minister-pedro-sanchez-snap-election-housing-crisis">Continue reading...</a>