Toledo crash kills 68 as Spain faces November vote

Sixty-eight people died in a train accident in Toledo province on Wednesday. The crash occurred on a high-speed line that saw a similar fatal incident just nine months ago. The new tragedy has disrupted the political campaign for Spain's Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez.

Sanchez called the event a terrible tragedy. He pledged to investigate the cause and fix any safety failures. He stated that it is unacceptable for Spain to suffer two high-speed rail accidents in the same year.

The prime minister had hoped to win the snap election scheduled for November 29. He sought to capitalize on public anger over the death of Maricarmen Abascal, an octogenarian who was evicted from her home after living there for more than 70 years. Her death sparked protests and shifted focus to the housing crisis.

Recent polls from the state-run CIS pollster showed Sanchez's party leading in the final weeks before the vote. He had been trailing in earlier surveys. The crash may force a change in his upbeat campaign style. Paco Camas, public affairs director at Ipsos, said the accident requires a more sombre tone and that triumphalist rhetoric has no place right now.

Opposition leaders moved quickly to claim the issue. Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, president of the People's Party, said Spaniards will ask urgent questions. He promised a full review of the railway network if his party takes power. Santiago Abascal, leader of Vox, called for Sanchez's resignation at a rally in Madrid.

Hundreds of mostly far-right demonstrators gathered outside the Transport Ministry on Wednesday evening. They carried a banner reading Spain can't take it anymore. Abascal said the government has destroyed infrastructure and should not use mourning to silence criticism.

Transport Minister Oscar Puente rejected claims that the system is dangerous. He described it as reliable and safe, noting the limits of material and human action. He declined to say if he would resign, stating it was not the time. An investigation into the previous crash is still underway. A preliminary report found a fracture in the rail that appeared before the derailment.

Data from Spain's competition authority shows high-speed rail use fell 15 percent in the first half of this year compared to last year. Use had set records in 2024 and 2025. A January poll found that 57 percent of respondents felt rail services had worsened since Sanchez took office. Nearly 60 percent reported little or no trust in the system. The country operates the world's second-largest high-speed rail network, with 4,000 kilometers of track.