Spain’s parliament rejects tenant relief as housing protests spread
Tens of thousands marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities after parliament rejected Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s proposed tenant protections, including automatic rental-contract renewals and curbs on evicting vulnerable tenants. The defeat leaves renters facing a worsening affordability crunch and exposes the minority government’s difficulty securing parliamentary support; the protests began after 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid home.
Bottom line — With the proposed protections voted down, Sánchez’s minority government must find parliamentary support as housing protests continue.
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France 24 reports that Junts, whose votes were needed to pass the measures, opposed them, saying they lacked rigour.
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France 24 says the rejected package also targeted investment firms that buy properties at low prices in pursuit of higher returns.
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According to France 24, average rents in Spain have almost doubled over the past decade, while home asking prices rose by about 90%.
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The Bank of Spain estimates a housing shortfall of about 700,000 homes, according to the BBC; Al Jazeera cites a higher estimate of roughly 755,000.
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The deal allowing Abascal to return to her flat at a lower rent was separate from the government’s measures, which parliament rejected, France 24 reports.
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The vote renewed questions about whether Sánchez’s government can last until the next scheduled general election in 2027, France 24 reports.