Miriam Gonzalez Durantez Launches Democracy21 Party for Spain Election

Lawyer Miriam Gonzalez Durantez launched a new centrist political party, Democracy21, on October 10 to compete in Spain's early general election scheduled for November 29. The party will run candidates in Madrid and Barcelona with a platform focused on recovering democratic values and depoliticizing national institutions.

Gonzalez Durantez criticized the ideological divide between the ruling Socialist coalition and the conservative opposition, arguing that both blocs have failed to resolve a mounting housing crisis. She accused politicians of inflating construction costs through absurd regulations and using building permits to enrich city councils. Regarding her approach to governance, she stated, "I won’t use it to pit one group against another, no, I’ll simply fix it."

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the snap election after parliament rejected measures to address surging rents and home shortages. The housing crisis has triggered mass protests following the death of an 87-year-old woman who had been evicted. Current polling suggests the conservative People's Party and far-right Vox could potentially secure a combined majority.