OMM Newsroom
Spain’s general election campaign began at midnight on Friday, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urging voters to defend his government’s social gains as conservative and far-right rivals seek a parliamentary majority. The vote is scheduled for Nov. 29, Anadolu Agency reported.
Sánchez called the snap election after parliament rejected his government’s housing decrees in October. Housing costs, migration, corruption allegations and railway safety are among the issues shaping the contest.
An opening poll by 40dB. for El País and Cadena SER projected a combined 190 seats for the conservative Popular Party (PP) and far-right Vox, above the 176 needed for a majority in the 350-seat lower house. The survey put the PP at 31.5% and Vox at nearly 19%, suggesting Vox could almost double its seats compared with 2023, partly by drawing voters from its conservative rival.
PP and Vox focus on migration and corruption
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo opened his campaign in Badalona, near Barcelona, promising a government that would secure Spain’s borders and require newcomers to integrate into Spanish society. He also pledged competent management and a government that “does not steal,” referring to judicial investigations involving the Socialists and Sánchez’s inner circle.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal launched his campaign in Huesca, making tighter immigration controls and preferential treatment for Spanish nationals central themes. His party proposes militarizing the border in Ceuta, giving Spaniards priority in housing and prohibiting rentals to immigrants without legal status.
Abascal also blamed immigration for pressure on health services, claiming Spaniards were being denied timely treatment. He described the election as a chance for “profound change” and called the government a “criminal, lying and corrupt mafia.”
Both parties support expanding housing construction. Feijóo has also promised to repeal housing protections approved on Thursday.
Sánchez and left-wing parties make housing a focus
Opening his campaign in Seville, Sánchez called for an “epic comeback” through the mass mobilization of progressive voters. He is presenting the election as a choice between further social progress and a rollback of rights, defending his government’s record on pensions, the minimum wage and parental leave.
“Against those who want to cut, cut and cut, we will vote, vote and vote,” Sánchez said.
He also welcomed parliament’s approval on Thursday of housing protections, including safeguards against eviction and lease extensions. A separate proposal for indefinite lease renewals was rejected. Housing has become Spain’s leading public concern, with nearly 56% naming it among the country’s three main problems in an October CIS survey.
Ada Colau, the former Barcelona mayor and candidate for the left-wing Frente Amplio coalition, opened her campaign in Madrid’s working-class Vallecas district. She called for transparent, honest government and urged Sánchez to show “more humility toward the working class and more courage toward speculators.”
With Podemos also running separately, parties to the left of the Socialists face the challenge of mobilizing voters while competing with one another. If neither bloc wins a majority, Catalan, Basque and other regional parties could again become decisive in determining who governs.
