The protests and polls in Spain

The last two days have been extremely eventful for Spain, the European nation that has been rocked by mass movements demanding a solution to a housing crisis. What began as a response to the eviction of a senior citizen in Madrid snowballed into protests across the country, forcing Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to first put together emergency legislation to address the situation and, following the failure of the emergency measures to get the nod from the parliament, call snap elections.

The announcement of the national election, to be held on November 29, 2026, eight months ahead of schedule, came hours before a demonstration in Barcelona, the capital of the Catalunya province, which has a long-standing separatist ambition, which attracted thousands and turned violent. Following this, the government has put together a fresh 21-point proposal to tackle the crisis, opening the door to a temporary settlement. 

What prompted the protests? 

At the centre of the events that led to the snap elections, which some analysts see as a blessing in disguise for Prime Minister Sanchez heading a fragile coalition, is an 87-year-old woman, Maria del Carmen Abascal, who was evicted from the apartment which was rented by her father in 1956.

After the death of her parents, Ms. Abascal continued as a tenant in the building, located in the now upscale Retiro neighbourhood in the Spanish capital, Madrid, until she was taken out on a stretcher last month. The eviction, which was previously blocked by courts three times, angered people across the country and made Ms. Abascal, who was hospitalised after her eviction, a symbol of the imminent housing crisis in the country.

The eviction was later reversed by the investment fund, which had acquired ownership of the building she was living in, but the dominoes could not be stopped. People began gathering in large numbers, seeking protective measures for those renting apartments, anti-fraud rules, and a ban on evictions without alternative housing. Spaniards were already angry with the rising rents across the country, which have surged more than 80% within the last decade, making housing one of the biggest concerns for people.

According to the Youth Council of Spain, the average rent in the country was more than 98% of the average salary for people under 30, an exorbitant figure. 

 What happened in Barcelona? 

People in the second-largest city in the country, who have historically fostered animosity towards the Spanish administration, had scheduled a demonstration for the weekend after a legislation to address the crisis was voted down by the extremely divided parliament, but was postponed due to inclement weather.

While the announcement of the snap election was projected to be an option for the people to express their dissatisfaction through the ballot, the Catalonians decided to go ahead with the demonstration. However, the demonstration, with thousands of people, which began as a peaceful march, turned violent when some groups allegedly threw stones at the police and set containers on fire. Around 30 police personnel reported minor injuries, while at least 13 people were arrested following the incident, which, according to visuals circulating online, resembled nothing less than a fiery street fight. 

What does the emergency legislations propose?

The initial legislation put forward by the Socialist-led government in two Bills proposed, among other measures, a ban on evictions till 2030. It also sought to regulate short-term rentals and proposed automatic contract renewals, while Health Minister Monica Garcia indicated the imposition of a ban on the purchase of housing by “vulture funds”, without elaborating.

However, both the Bills failed to garner a majority of votes in parliament, with the major blow coming from the Catalan separatist party Junts, which supports the ruling Sumar coalition of left parties, voting against. However, following the protests in Barcelona, the Sanchez government rushed to put together another piece of legislation to address the issue, which the government approved on Tuesday (October 6, 2026).

The 21-point proposal includes measures to facilitate easier renting or buying of houses, extension of protection against eviction for vulnerable residents, regulation of room rentals, a new tax on seasonal rentals, prohibition of speculative real estate purchases, and tax breaks for owners and tenants who are punctual with payments.

While most of the provisions are similar to those that were voted down in parliament last week, this time the government is optimistic about getting legislative approval as it only needs to pass an interim body of 69 members instead of the full 350-member parliament after the announcement of election.

What advantages does the Prime Minister have in the situation? 

The November 29 election will see Spaniards go to the polls for the fifth time in 10 years, with Mr. Sanchez trying to leverage the situation to establish a stronger government.

The socialist leader returned to office for a second term in 2023, scraping together a fragile last-minute coalition after the conservative People’s Party won the most without getting a majority. However, he has been on the back foot from the beginning, facing criticism for agreeing to amnesty demands by Catalan parties to secure their backing and later when allegations of corruption rose against his family members.

However, with less than a year left for his term to end, the protests and the subsequent voting down of a relief measure have given him a silver lining. Even though his government failed to pass the legislation to quell people’s dissatisfaction, Mr. Sanchez now has the narrative to push for a landslide mandate and has legislation favourable to the protesters to give the people in return. The failure of the legislation to pass parliament has, in a way, kicked off the Prime Minister’s campaign even before calling the election.