Spain’s housing decrees defeated as pressure grows on Sánchez to call snap election

Spain's Congress voted down both of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's emergency housing decrees on Friday, escalating pressure on the Socialist Party (PSOE) to call for a snap general election. The first decree was rejected by 178 votes to 172, while the second failed by a wider margin of 184 to 166. The government's effort to secure support from MPs ultimately fell short, despite Prime Minister Sánchez's plea to consider the people's well-being and warnings about historical judgment.

Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez appealed to Junts per Catalunya (JxCat), the Catalan pro-independence party led by Carles Puigdemont, expressing that 90% of its proposals were incorporated into the decrees. Despite this, both measures, approved by the cabinet on Tuesday, became void upon rejection. The package aimed to extend automatically expiring rental contracts, enhance protection against evictions for vulnerable tenants, and address property investment funds.

The government's proposal gained widespread support, including senior socialist figures and cabinet ministers who favored an early election if both decrees were defeated. The defeat deepened uncertainty surrounding the government's next move, with El País reporting that discussions were ongoing about a potential election date of 29 November.

The housing crisis has become a crucial test for Sánchez's minority coalition government, exposing divisions within its parliamentary allies. The crisis was triggered by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her 70-year-long Madrid home following an investment company's acquisition and subsequent rent increase.