José María Aznar warns of constitutional end if Pedro Sánchez forms government on 29 November

Warnings over the constitutional order

Former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar stated on Monday that Spain faces its most consequential general election since the democratic Transition. Speaking at the Fundación Cajasol forum in Seville, Aznar asserted that a renewed coalition led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez would dismantle the existing constitutional structure. When asked by moderator Juanma Lamet whether another term for the left-wing coalition would lead to a republic, Aznar responded affirmatively. He argued that the current governing bloc questions the unity of the country by pursuing a plurinational model that erodes the standing of the Crown. Aznar added that the general election should have occurred much earlier because the government failed to submit a national budget during the entire legislature.

If the current government coalition could form a government again, the constitutional system and the monarchy come to an end.

Parliamentary arithmetic and coalition dynamics

During the discussion, Aznar analyzed possible seat distributions between the Popular Party (PP) and Vox following the vote on 29 November 2026. He contrasted a scenario where the PP wins 140 seats alongside 60 for Vox with one where the PP secures 165 seats and Vox takes 35. Aznar stated that a stronger PP delegation of 165 seats would allow a conservative administration to address national problems, whereas a narrower margin would create uncertainty. He argued that the election was called with the intent to damage the PP while aiding Vox. He maintained that solid governance requires a substantial number of deputies anchored in the main conservative party.

Domestic policy and union friction

Aznar also criticized the upcoming general strike endorsed on Monday by the UGT and CC OO labor unions. He questioned the logic of labor mobilization, describing it as a strike directed against the political opposition. Turning to the housing crisis, Aznar opposed market intervention and rent controls following parliamentary rejections of recent housing decrees. He advocated for releasing development land and constructing social housing rather than placing restrictions on property owners. Aznar additionally objected to the Democratic Memory Law provisions known as the grandchildren law, which grant nationality and voting rights to descendants of exiles. He claimed that extending voting rights to individuals who have never lived in Spain risks altering the electoral roll.

Conference background and campaign schedule

The Seville event formed part of the Letras en Sevilla series titled '1936: The war we all lost', coordinated by Arturo Pérez-Reverte and Jesús Vigorra. The forum resumed after a seven-month suspension that followed a boycott initiated in February by writer David Uclés over the speaker lineup. The four-day program includes scheduled addresses from government ministers Félix Bolaños and Ángel Víctor Torres alongside PP representatives. Voters will cast ballots on 29 November 2026 after Sánchez called snap parliamentary elections. Aznar described the approaching ballot as an institutional accountability vote that will determine the future structure of the Spanish state.