Photo: EPA
Spain’s conservative opposition is preparing for a snap general election on November 29, with the People’s Party (PP) and far-right Vox leading the polls and expected to gain enough support to potentially form a government together, according to recent surveys. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the election eight months ahead of schedule after his minority government lost key parliamentary votes on housing measures.
The PP and Vox both condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but have questioned how far Spain should go in supporting Kyiv. They are also calling for greater scrutiny of government spending on the war effort, including the use and effectiveness of Spanish military assistance.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo has said his party stands with Ukraine, its sovereignty and freedom, but has opposed sending Spanish troops to Ukraine unless the government provides detailed information about the mission and its cost. Vox has likewise opposed sending Spanish forces abroad and has questioned the scope of Sánchez’s military support for Ukraine.
Spain has committed €1 billion in bilateral military assistance to Ukraine for 2026. The government says part of the funding will be channelled through the European Union’s SAFE instrument and will also support cooperation between Spanish and Ukrainian defense industries. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Spain’s bilateral military support has reached almost €4 billion, according to Sánchez.
The issue could become more prominent during the election campaign as the conservative parties seek to challenge Sánchez’s foreign and defense policies and demand greater accountability over public spending.
Sánchez announced the early election after two government housing decrees were rejected in Congress. The measures were designed to address evictions, temporary rentals and access to housing. The PP, Vox and the Catalan party Junts voted against them.
Sánchez is seeking to make housing a central issue in the campaign and argues that his government needs a broader progressive majority to pursue its agenda. Polls, however, consistently place the PP ahead of the Socialists, while Vox has gained support. A PP-Vox government would give Spain its first far-right party in national government since the country's return to democracy.
The political debate over Ukraine is particularly significant for the large Ukrainian community in Spain. According to Spain’s Permanent Observatory on Immigration, 353,009 Ukrainian nationals held valid residence documentation in Spain as of June 30, 2026. Of these, 262,782 people, or 76%, had residence authorization under temporary protection.
Spain has continued to expand military assistance to Ukraine. In April, Defence Minister Margarita Robles reaffirmed a €1 billion commitment for 2026 and announced additional support focused on artillery ammunition, radars and unmanned systems.
The country has also contributed F-16 ammunition to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on September 29 that Spain, Belgium and other allies had provided urgent supplies of ammunition for the aircraft.
The election campaign will therefore have implications not only for Spain’s domestic agenda but also for its future military and political support for Ukraine, with the opposition likely to press Sánchez’s successor to account for the scale, cost and results of that assistance.
