Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of Spain has called an early election for Nov. 29. He wants to boost his parliamentary support after the Spanish Parliament last week rejected his proposals to address a housing crisis that has drawn nationwide protests.

The snap vote is a high-stakes wager for Sznchez, whose Socialist Party trails in nearly every opinion poll. So, the big question is: Why is he calling a snap election 8 months earlier than expected when Spain’s economy is often described as the envy of Europe?