Spanish PM Sanchez calls snap election for November 29

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called an early election for November 29 on Monday, in a bid to strengthen his mandate after a fragmented parliament rejected the government’s key housing decrees last week amid widespread protests.“We need to renew people’s support,” Sanchez said in a televised address.“We need to mobilize and win a ​much larger progressive majority in parliament, one that will allow us to overcome vested interests, deliver new social advances and continue transforming Spain.”The premier also ‌acknowledged having made mistakes and falling short of campaign promises.“I also know that part of that social majority is dissatisfied today,” he said.Sanchez has stood out globally for taking a strong stance on progressive issues from Palestinian statehood to defending multilateral institutions and cracking down on “tech oligarchs,” even as a series of setbacks and scandals weakened his position at home.Facing the electorate now is a risky move as Sanchez’s Socialist Party is trailing ​in opinion polls.

However, he has been boosted by proposals to tackle a mounting housing crisis that were well received but were struck down by right-wing MPs on Friday, ​leading to planned new public protests about housing.An election defeat would spell the end of one of Europe’s last few left-leaning governments at ⁠a time when the far-right is making unprecedented gains across the region as a growing swathe of European voters desert the centre ground.Opinion polls suggest a coalition led by the conservative People’s ​Party (PP) with the support of Vox is the most likely outcome in Spain, ushering a far-right party into central government for the first time since the return of democracy after the ​death of dictator Francisco Franco.Still, Sanchez, a wily political operator, has proven time and again his ability to surprise those who had long written him off.Despite never winning enough votes to form a majority government, ...