Spain schedules snap general election for 29 November 2026 following housing decree defeat

Dissolution of parliament and snap election call

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called early general elections for 29 November 2026 following the defeat of two government decree-laws on housing in the Congress of Deputies. The parliamentary setback occurred after Junts voted against the executive's measures following public protests over the eviction of Maricarmen. The official announcement took effect on 6 October 2026 with the publication of Royal Decree 806/2026 in the Official State Gazette (BOE), dissolving both the Congress and the Senate. The decree formally initiated the administrative and electoral timetable across Spain's 52 electoral constituencies.

Mail-in ballots and overseas voting procedures

The electoral timetable began immediately for postal voters on 6 October 2026, with Correos accepting applications through 19 November 2026. More than 2.7 million Spaniards residing abroad are registered on the electoral roll closed on 1 August 2026. Under the 2022 reform of the organic electoral law (LOREG), voters on the Census of Absent Residents (CERA) receive their documentation automatically without needing to request it beforehand. Provincial census delegations will dispatch initial voter materials between 24 and 30 October 2026, followed by ballot papers between 4 and 8 November 2026. Expatriates can cast certified postal ballots until 24 November 2026 or vote in person at consulates from 21 to 26 November 2026.

A government proposal also prompted discussions regarding notarial representation for voting procedures abroad. Legal specialist Cristina Buendía explained that existing powers under the notarial regulation only permit an appointed proxy to handle paperwork for electors facing physical disability or illness, rather than voting directly.

It is not that you designate a person who will appear for you on election day and deposit your ballot in the ballot box.

Polling stations, civic duties and public administration

Domestic postal voting has expanded in recent cycles, reaching 2.47 million ballots during the July 2023 general election compared to 1.2 million in 2018. Political parties PP and Vox questioned postal security during early campaign exchanges, prompting Sánchez to tell voters to maintain absolute peace of mind regarding the postal system.

Town halls across Spain will conduct public draws between 31 October and 4 November 2026 to designate polling station officers. Each station requires one president, two voting members, and two designated substitutes per post, with notifications delivered within three days of the draw.

Being president or member of a polling station is a legal obligation. Therefore, failing to appear without justified cause can carry criminal consequences.

Labor regulations and parliamentary mechanics

Employees working on election day will receive up to four hours of paid leave under Royal Decree 605/1999 to cast their ballots without wage deductions. The election will determine the 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies through provincial constituencies, where each province receives an automatic base of two seats and Ceuta and Melilla receive one each before the remaining 248 seats are distributed by population. Parties must cross a 3% threshold within an individual constituency to participate in the D'Hondt seat allocation. Meanwhile, regular public administration procedures, immigration files, and the 2026 public employment offer will proceed under statutory deadlines through 31 December 2026.