Junts has gone after Pedro Sánchez, saying he called early elections to distract from corruption and failed policies. The party faces its own fight as Catalonia’s political scene shifts.
Pedro Sánchez is under fire. Junts has accused him of using Spain’s pain to save his own political skin. Míriam Nogueras, Junts’ spokesperson in Congress, went straight to the point. She said the prime minister used “the pain and suffering of many people for electoral interests.” She also accused him of calling early elections to “cover up his inability to govern, his failure in migration policies, and the corruption cases surrounding him.”
Junts is not just attacking. The party is also under pressure. Its move to block the government’s housing decrees ended the current legislative period. That put Junts in the spotlight. Critics blame them for killing new housing rules. Junts is not backing down. They say they are standing up for small property owners. The party promises to protect them from unpaid rents and illegal occupations. Junts hopes this message will keep its base loyal.
On October 2, Spain's Congress rejected two government housing decrees, with Junts, PP, and Vox voting against measures that included protections for vulnerable tenants until 2030 and stricter rules for short-term rentals.
The numbers are not on Junts’ side. A Sigma Dos poll out today shows Junts could lose three seats in the next general election. They would drop from seven to four. That’s a sharp fall. Aliança Catalana has already taken 25% of Junts’ vote in Catalonia. But Aliança Catalana will not run in the national race. Even so, Junts is feeling the squeeze.
ERC is in a better spot. The same poll says ERC could gain a seat, reaching eight. Gabriel Rufián is likely to lead their ticket. Rufián tried to build a bigger left-wing coalition with Sumar, the Comunes, Más Madrid, Izquierda Unida, and maybe Podemos. That plan failed. Still, ERC’s president Oriol Junqueras says his party is “prepared to defend Catalonia and fight to improve people’s lives.”
Salvador Illa is backing Sánchez. He is the top socialist in Catalonia. Illa is all in for the prime minister’s re-election. Catalonia is key for the PSOE. The president of the Generalitat made it clear: “It is time to decide between moving forward or going back. Cataluña does not resign. Cataluña does not give up. Cataluña will be with Pedro.”
According to Reuters and Politico Europe, the failure of the housing decrees intensified speculation about possible snap elections in Spain, even as Sánchez's team insisted no final decision had been made. Analysts noted that this defeat increased pressure on the Socialist parliamentary majority and highlighted growing tensions between Junts and PSOE.
The PSC faces trouble. EL MUNDO’s latest poll says the party could lose up to 11 seats. A La Vanguardia survey from the weekend puts the loss at 12. That would leave Aliança Catalana tied with the socialists in the Catalan parliament—30 seats each. Alliances are shifting. Margins are shrinking. Catalan and Spanish politics are on edge.
As reported earlier, Sánchez’s government is under pressure from every side. The right-wing bloc is gaining ground. The left is scrambling to hold on. Early elections are not just a tactic. This is a gamble. The outcome could change the balance of power in Madrid and Barcelona.
Junts’ attack on Sánchez is not just for show. It points to a deeper crisis of trust in Spain’s leaders. Catalan voters are split. The next election will test Sánchez’s ability to survive scandal and dissent. It will also show if Junts can turn defiance into a comeback. The stakes are high. The result will echo far beyond the ballot box.
