Spain will hold an early general election on 29 November. Before then, Ernest Urtasun wants Frente Amplio to settle its electoral identity and Junts to reconsider its position on two housing decrees.
The Sumar spokesperson and Culture Minister is tying those tasks together. Frente Amplio must be rebuilt quickly, while the Government needs support in Congress after the measures failed on 2 October 2026.
Junts initially backed talks on incorporating many of its demands, but later voted against both texts alongside PP and Vox. The Council of Ministers approved the decrees again on Tuesday with some changes. Urtasun now wants Junts to back them in the relevant congressional commission.
The two housing decrees were formally defeated in Congress on 2 October 2026. The first received 161 votes in favour and 178 against; the second received 166 in favour and 184 against, information from Spanish Congress vote figures.
Urtasun said the return of Carles Puigdemont should have practical consequences for Cataluña and for relations between Cataluña and España. He argued that institutional dialogue works more smoothly when the political system is stable. Junts, he said, should stop joining PP and Vox to overturn housing measures approved by the Government.
He described the commission vote as a chance for Junts to correct what he called a serious mistake. The decision is clear: the party's vote could determine whether the decrees move forward after their earlier defeat.
The first decree covered measures against evictions and rental regulation, and also addressed room rentals. The second introduced automatic, successive extensions of rental contracts. The Government has kept the core of the tax incentives, Urtasun said, while making separate changes.
Antena 3 and Democrata have described Frente Amplio as an electoral alliance bringing together Movimiento Sumar and Izquierda Unida, with Más Madrid and los Comuns also part of it. Its public campaign priorities include housing and public services. The alliance argues that the 29 November election should produce a new majority capable of addressing the housing crisis.
Frente Amplio is preparing its launch. Speaking on La Hora de La 1, Urtasun said the project would explain this week how it plans to present its candidacy. It will also set out which brand it will use and how it will organise its electoral offer.
Several questions remain open. The method for selecting candidates has not been decided. Urtasun said contacts and discussions had accelerated this week, but the project was not ready to disclose much because the talks required discretion.
The election timetable leaves little room. Frente Amplio wants to maximise its support before 29 November. Meanwhile, the Government is trying to win back support for decrees that Junts rejected alongside PP and Vox.
Reports based on the 2 October vote said UPN also opposed both texts. PNV and Coalición Canaria joined the opposition in the second vote, making the defeat broader than in the first ballot.
The Council of Ministers has since reapproved both royal decree-laws with adjustments. Urtasun said the core of the tax incentives remained in place. He described the internal reorganisation as controlled and urged calm as the candidacy and electoral identity are decided. The interview provided no final details.
The parliamentary route has also changed since Parliament was dissolved. The revised decrees are expected to go before the Permanent Deputation instead of a normal plenary sitting. Forbes and Spanish political reporting noted that PP and Vox do not hold a majority there, and Junts is also short of one. The result will depend on a wider combination of parliamentary positions.
The Council of Ministers has approved the revised decrees, but their progress still depends on the congressional commission vote. Junts so has a defined role in the immediate process, while Frente Amplio is still deciding what its electoral vehicle will look like.
Urtasun's position brings the two problems together. The Government needs Junts to reverse its housing vote, while Frente Amplio must turn a short preparation period into electoral support. Its candidate list and final brand remain undisclosed. The housing vote will be the first practical test of the strategy.
