Is Spain’s Pro-Palestinian Government Near Its End? Sánchez Calls Snap Election

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced this morning (Monday) that he is dissolving the government and setting an early election for November 28. Sánchez informed Spain’s King Felipe VI of the decision. The move brings the election forward by roughly eight months.

The Spanish prime minister’s decision came just days after Parliament passed a no-confidence vote and rejected the government’s attempt to advance regulations on several social and economic issues. Sánchez’s government is made up of his Socialist Party and a center-left party. The two did not hold a parliamentary majority, but managed to remain in power with support from several lawmakers from smaller parties in Parliament. This time, those lawmakers voted against the government.

The no-confidence vote came amid a housing crisis and public protests that erupted at the end of last month following the ruthless eviction of an 87-year-old woman from the Madrid apartment where she had lived for about 70 years. Rental prices in Spain have risen dramatically, and the elderly woman struggled to afford them. People demonstrated in several Spanish cities and called on Sánchez to resign, arguing that he had failed to stabilize Spain’s economy and that many people can no longer cope with the rising cost of living.

Sánchez is considered one of Europe’s most anti-Israel leaders and has led a series of moves against Israel, which he accuses of genocide in Gaza. He has served as prime minister for eight years, and in the upcoming election he is expected to face tough competition from right-wing and center-right parties that enjoy broad popularity.