Spain will head to the polls next month
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election today for November 29, after losing a vote on Friday to pass emergency measures to quell nationwide protests over the country’s housing crisis. The Sánchez government has faced growing criticism in recent months over issues including the Ceuta migrant surge in July, corruption allegations against members of his inner circle, and a recent spike in inflation. Sánchez, who has been in power since 2018, will hope to capitalize on momentum from the housing protests to mobilize left-wing voters who want a solution and shore up his electoral mandate. But polls show the conservative Popular Party and the far-right Vox party gaining popularity. If Sánchez loses, it would mark the end of one of Europe’s few remaining left-wing governments as the far-right gains across the continent.
Brazil’s Bolsonaro Jr. eyes runoff win after topping first round vote
Right-winger Flávio Bolsonaro bucked expectations in round one of Brazil’s presidential election yesterday, besting incumbent lefty Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva 47% to 44%. In the end, polls underestimated demand for change in a deeply polarized country where the economy is sluggish, crime is high, and corruption is rampant. The result sets up a stunning comeback for the Bolsonaro family: Flávio’s father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, is currently jailed for plotting a coup after losing his re-election bid to Lula in 2022. Flávio’s mother and two of his brothers also won legislative seats yesterday. Lula, who has been president three times this century, campaigned on uplifting the working class, defending democracy, and shielding Brazil’s sovereignty against the Trump administration. He now faces an uphill battle against Bolsonaro, who has pledged to free his father, deregulate the economy (and the Amazon), and work closely with Trump, cementing South America’s rightward shift. The high-stakes runoff is on October 25th.
Ethiopia’s regional isolation grows
Leaders of four neighboring African states – Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia – issued a joint declaration on Sunday that seemed to leave Ethiopia out to dry as government forces clash with rebels in the Tigray region. Ethiopia has accused all four countries of supporting the rebel movements. Egypt and Sudan warned Ethiopia against taking retaliatory actions that could harm states along the Nile River, which has one of its sources at Ethiopia’s Lake Tana. Egypt, Somalia, and Ethiopia previously battled over water rights after Ethiopia completed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in 2025, which dammed the upper Nile. The four countries also reiterated that coastal states should retain control of Red Sea ports, a tacit rebuke of landlocked Ethiopia’s push for access to ports along the Somali coast. The declaration underscores Ethiopia’s growing isolation in the region as its government battles insurgents in the north.
