Statement of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Workers of Spain (PCTE), meeting at its Fifth Extraordinary Plenary Session, has analysed the political situation arising from the mobilisations for the right to housing, the calling of an early general election for 29 November, and the announcement of a general strike for 11 November. These events, which have unfolded over the course of just a few weeks, reflect the sharpening of social contradictions that directly affect the living conditions of the working class and pose new tasks for those of us who defend the need for a political alternative independent of the interests of capital.
The mobilisations sparked by the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal have once again exposed the severity of the housing problem in our country. Rising rents, difficulties in accessing housing, the inability of large sections of working-class youth to establish independent households, and the insecurity faced by numerous families are all part of a reality that cannot be separated from the general deterioration of the living conditions of our class.
The popular response has demonstrated that organised mobilisation can alter the political situation and compel institutions to adopt measures that had previously been absent from their priorities. The adoption of the housing decrees was a consequence of this social pressure, although their content and limitations also reveal the contradictions of a policy that seeks to address the problem without challenging the property relations that give rise to it. As long as housing remains subordinated to the interests of banks, investment funds and real estate companies, effective access to housing will continue to be determined by the profitability requirements of capital.
The PCTE considers that the struggle for housing must be closely linked to the defence of wages, the reduction of working hours and the fight against precarious employment. These are different expressions of the conditions under which the working class is forced to live and work, and linking these struggles together is essential to overcoming their fragmentation and strengthening the independent organisation of our class.
The early general election has been called precisely in this context of growing social mobilisation and political crisis. The coalition Government has sought to present parliamentary difficulties as an explanation for the limitations of its actions, but the undeniable reality is that the various forms of social-democratic management of capitalism have demonstrated their limitations in guaranteeing decent living conditions for the working majority, while leaving the foundations of the bourgeoisie’s economic power intact.
The PCTE also warns that the electoral contest will once again take place under intense pressure to confine our class to a choice between the different bourgeois political blocs competing for control of the state apparatus. The advance of reactionary positions and the threat they pose to the rights of our class cannot serve as a justification for abandoning an independent political line or accepting the subordination of working-class interests to the electoral needs of social democracy.
For these reasons, the PCTE has decided to stand in the general election on 29 November. Our participation is guided by a political orientation that goes far beyond the electoral contest itself: to contribute to building a working-class opposition independent of capital and its governments, capable of organising the defence of our class’s immediate demands and opening up the prospect of a revolutionary transformation of society.
In this context, the calling of a general strike for 11 November takes on particular importance. The Central Committee considers that the strike has been called without a sufficiently developed prior process of organisation and preparation in the workplaces. Its proximity to the general election and the political circumstances surrounding the call also make it necessary to warn of the risk that the mobilisation may ultimately become subordinated to the electoral interests of the forces that have supported the Government.
These circumstances do not negate the opportunities presented by the strike. On the contrary, the PCTE considers that the strike must serve to strengthen the tools of working-class organisation, advance the struggle for specific demands and, wherever conditions permit, overcome the political and organisational limitations under which it has been called. The PCTE therefore calls on the entire working class and the popular sectors to actively engage in the preparation and conduct of the General Strike, recognising that the demands which have given rise to the current mobilisation will not disappear after 11 November, nor will they be resolved by the formation of a new Government.
The events of recent weeks confirm the need to make progress in building a working-class opposition. Social discontent, however profound, does not spontaneously lead to the organisation of the working class or the strengthening of revolutionary positions. This requires systematic political intervention, linking immediate demands to their underlying causes and helping to ensure that experiences of struggle contribute to overcoming the fragmentation and political subordination that currently weaken our class.
The working-class opposition advocated by the PCTE is neither a new form of parliamentary opposition nor an electoral alternative operating within the confines of capitalism. Rather, it represents the perspective of building an organised working-class force, independent of the various capitalist governments and capable of confronting the policies of the bourgeoisie, regardless of who is in government. To this end, it is essential to strengthen the positions of the workers’ movement as a whole, expand organisation in workplaces and neighbourhoods, and ensure that individual struggles acquire a broader political orientation.
The PCTE will continue working to ensure that the immediate demands of our class become a basis for developing its class consciousness, organisation and capacity for struggle. Against those who seek to limit the political horizons of our class to the election of a new Government, the PCTE works exclusively towards building a force capable of challenging the bourgeoisie for political power and paving the way towards socialism-communism.
12 October 2026
Central Committee of the PCTE