Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced early general elections for November 29th following the parliamentary rejection of his minority government’s housing legislation. The legislative defeat triggered widespread protests in Madrid and beyond as citizens took to the streets to demonstrate against skyrocketing rents and living costs. Addressing the nation, Sanchez emphasized the need to secure a “much broader progressive majority” to continue transforming the country. “Now is the time for Spanish citizens to decide what kind of future they want for themselves and their country,” he stated. Sanchez has served as Prime Minister since 2018, most recently governing through a fragile left-wing coalition backed by regional nationalist groups.