Media advisory - Justice and Home Affairs Council of 1 and 2 October 2026 - Consilium

• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is considering calling snap elections after his Catalan allies voted against his housing proposal. • The earliest possible date for Spaniards to head to the polls would be Sunday, November 29, if Sanchez chooses to dissolve parliament.

• Spain's Parliament rejected government housing measures amid public protests and shouting from the gallery. • The defeat was driven by opposition from Junts, a small separatist party led by Carles Puigdemont that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez needs to maintain his 2023 coalition.

• The Spanish government lost two parliamentary votes to ratify emergency housing measures designed to protect vulnerable tenants. • The rejected decrees aimed to stop evictions, limit real estate speculation, and allow tenants to automatically renew residential leases.

• UK government ministers are developing sweeping welfare changes that would scrap a key disability benefit for people under 25. • The proposed plan replaces the existing benefit with a multibillion-pound support package designed to help young claimants enter the workforce.

• U.S. District Judge David Leibowitz ruled on Thursday that Congress lacks the legal authority to determine who can or cannot vote in federal elections. • The decision came during a case involving an illegal immigrant who was charged with voting in the 2020 election.

• Mohammad Deepak created a new social media profile after his original account was restricted following a legal case and police action. • The restriction occurred after Deepak was accused of assaulting another man.

• Election law experts and minority voter organizations are raising concerns over the potential deployment of armed government personnel to election sites. • Federal law prohibits the use of armed troops, agents, or officers at polling locations unless they are acting to repel armed enemies of the United States.

• Christa Pike was hospitalized in critical condition after surviving an execution described as cruel and torturous. • The Pentagon deployed a third carrier strike group and Marines to the Middle East amid intensifying fighting between Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen.

• Larry O’Connor urged political operatives to ignore unreliable 2026 polls and focus on fighting misinformation and increasing voter turnout. • He noted that some campaigns are treating flawed data as gospel, which has diverted funding away from critical contests like North Carolina.

• Agnico Eagle Mines shares rose 1.81% to trade at C$261.36 today. • The stock is currently attempting a price recovery that signals a bullish technical setup, meaning the price pattern suggests a potential upward trend.

• Texas Instruments raised its quarterly dividend to $1.52 per share following strong growth in its automotive and industrial sectors. • The company's stock price rose 4.29% to $293.38 as a result of the dividend increase and positive second-quarter performance.