To progressives across the west, Spain has been a rare glimmer of hope in a world where far-right parties are increasingly entering government. Under Pedro Sánchez, who became prime minister in 2018, the country has combined a post-Covid economic boom with a bold green energy transition programme, and a pro-immigration stance with a principled opposition to the war agenda of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. Yet, at the end of next month, this rare beacon of democratic progress could fall.

On Monday Sánchez called a snap general election, set for 29 November, after two decrees to address the country’s housing crisis were voted down in the lower chamber by politicians from rightwing parties. Speaking from the staircase of the Moncloa palace, Sánchez admitted that his government had not achieved all it had set out to do. “Many injustices remain to be corrected … particularly regarding inequality in public services and access to housing,” he said, adding: “To do more, we need to renew and expand public support.”

Sánchez attempted to pass the legislation after tens of thousands took to the streets to protest against the housing crisis, setting up camps reminiscent of the country’s 15-M anti-austerity movement and the global Occupy movement of 2011. But this explosion of popular anger has been long in the making. According to Spain’s national public opinion research institute Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS), housing has been the country’s top preoccupation since the end of 2024, as a growing number........

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