In a televised national address from the Moncloa Palace on Monday (October 5, 2026), Prime Minister Sánchez—who has led Spain since 2018—announced the dissolution of parliament, stating that a renewed and stronger progressive mandate is necessary to advance social reforms. The legislative setback occurred when the Catalan pro-independence party Junts joined the conservative People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox to block two emergency decrees intended to cap rent increases, automate lease renewals, and prevent the immediate eviction of vulnerable tenants. The bill’s collapse ignited widespread public anger, sparking massive street demonstrations across major Spanish cities over the weekend. Protests intensified following the high-profile eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal in Madrid, whose apartment rent was hiked by 275 percent after an investment firm acquired her building. Real estate data from Idealista highlights that average rental prices in Spain have doubled over the past decade, while purchase prices rose by nearly 90 percent. With recent opinion polls placing the conservative People's Party ahead of the ruling Socialists (PSOE), the November election sets up a high-stakes battle over housing affordability and Spain’s political direction.