Politico։ Spanish election threatens to blow up Brussels’ political balance

A defeat for Pedro Sánchez in Spain’s snap election risks destabilizing the EU by putting the Socialists and Democrats on the back foot in Brussels and pushing them into a more confrontational stance, Politico writes.

A second senior S&D lawmaker said Sánchez helped ''balance'' decisions at the leaders’ table and that his absence would unsettle the informal alliance of the S&D, liberals and the center-right European People’s Party that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen relies on to pass legislation.

Socialists warn a Sánchez defeat will alienate them in the Council and strain the coalition behind Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

One of the lawmakers noted, that if von der Leyen still delivers on S&D priorities, she will have the support of the group.

Additionally, political turbulence in Spain "risks delaying" the adoption of the EU's multiannual budget. According to them, the elections scheduled for November 29 will be a "distraction" and will not serve as an "incentive to find a compromise." On October 5, Sánchez announced his decision to dissolve parliament and hold snap general elections. He made this announcement after the Congress of Deputies (the lower house of parliament) failed to support two housing decrees approved by the government on October 2. The Council of Ministers had approved the decrees on September 29 amid rising public discontent over the situation in the housing sector.