Abstract
The public appearance of Spanish President Pedro Sánchez after the municipal and regional elections took many by surprise. Instead of assessing the resounding and unexpected defeat of the Socialist Party, not so much in terms of the number of votes as in the loss of important strongholds, he announced his intention to dissolve Parliament and to call for general elections on 23 July. This unexpected move means bringing forward the elections originally scheduled for the end of the year, in which Sánchez intended to make the most of Spain's presidency of the European Union, which begins on 1 July. How can this decision be explained? Why have Spaniards, despite recent good economic indicators, turned their backs on the Socialist government? Are we facing a change of cycle, or will Sánchez succeed in rising like a phoenix once again?