Spain's government dealt a blow after parliament rejects housing measures

MADRID -- Spain's progressive government was dealt a costly legislative defeat on Friday when lawmakers rejected a package of emergency measures aimed at tackling the nation’s housing affordability crisis, while protesters marched on the Parliament demanding help for renters.The setback sparked speculation in Spanish media that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez could consider bringing forward elections from next year. His office did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press regarding a possible snap election.Sanchez spoke at the end of a five-hour parliamentary debate, making a last-gasp appeal to lawmakers to vote the measures that he called “necessary.”“What is behind these decrees is the desire to instill order and a sense of humanity in a market that if we do not rein it in will destroy our society,” Sánchez told the other 349 members.“Do the right thing, or history will judge you, and sooner than you think,” Sánchez concluded before each lawmaker voted by roll call.His plea fell on deaf ears. The Catalan separatist party Junts carried out its announcement made hours before that it would vote against both decrees. That doomed the measures when combined with the ...