Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has a reputation as a political survivor who relishes the electoral gambit BARCELONA, Spain -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez 's political career has been marked by close calls. And, once again, he has decided to roll the dice. One of the longest-serving progressive leaders in Europe and an outspoken critic of U.S.
President Donald Trump, Sánchez called for early elections on Monday in hopes of tapping into public rage over the nation’s housing affordability crunch. But his opponents have been eager to pounce on a leader whose support has fallen. Spain has seen an emerging coalition of the conservatives and the far right, which are both aiming to use migration concerns against the prime minister, whose government allowed over 1 million immigrants to apply for legal status.
Here’s what you need to know looking toward Spain’s elections on Nov. 29: Polling for several months has indicated that Sánchez's 8-year spell in office may be coming to an end. But Spanish politics were upended last month by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid, which set off huge street protests in the capital and other cities. The televised eviction gave Sánchez an opportunity, analysts say, to make the election about this one social issue that impacts the household budgets and quality of life of millions.
But that could also backfire, since many of the measures the left wants to implement to stop evictions and curb real estate speculation could scare homeowners, former conservative politician and political analyst Montserrat Nebrera told The . The leading opposition Popular Party, Spain’s conservatives, and the far-right Vox pounced on the influx of migrants, calling it an “invasion.” Alejandro Quiroga, professor of political science at Madrid’s Complutense University, said that he expects the Popular Party and Vox to campaign on immigration as well as their characterization of Sánchez as a power-hungry leader supported, his opponents alleged, by a corrupt inner circle and party machine. Sánchez has called these attacks mudslinging.
Sánchez’s wife, brother and a former prime minister from his party are all facing different legal cases. They deny wrongdoing, but the cases are no doubt a political liability for Sánchez. In 2023, Sánchez managed to beat the polling forecasts by rallying his voters on fears of what might happen under a government that includes Vox, which rails against migration and feminism and denies climate change.
But Quiroga believes that this time voters have normalized to a certain degree the presence of Vox, which has entered into coalition governments with the Popular Party in some regions of Spain. Sánchez is no stranger to gambits aimed at either saving his hide or strengthening his position. For starters, in 2016 his young career looked to be over after being ousted as the Socialists’ general secretary over strategy disputes when in opposition, but he toured Spain to drum up support from rank-and-file members and won back his leadership role.
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