Wohnungspolitik: Spaniens Regierung schlittert wegen Wohnungsnot in die Krise

Spain's left-wing minority government has fallen into a severe crisis due to the country's housing crisis. Two decrees, aimed at tackling rising rents and evictions, failed in parliament due to resistance from conservative and right-wing populist MPs. In a no vote, the conservative People's Party (PP), the right-wing Vox, the conservative Catalan separatist party Junts, and two other MPs voted against the decrees.

The first decree was rejected by 178 out of 350 parliamentarians, while the second decree received 184 votes against. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government can barely push initiatives through parliament since Junts withdrew its support to the government nearly a year ago. Sánchez appealed for support: "Vote for the decrees," he urged, calling on MPs to back the measures to prevent damage to society.

Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez defended the actions in parliament, stating it was about being on the side of people or "geier-funds" (speculators) who were profiting from housing. "It's the hour of truth," she repeated a statement made by Sánchez, who had hinted at early elections. Regularly, elections would take place this summer.

The government decided on a comprehensive package of measures against housing shortages on Tuesday, following a controversial evictions of an 87-year-old woman and mass protests. Among other things, it was planned to extend protection against evictions, tighten the regulation of rental contracts, and ban the acquisition of apartments by "geier-funds" until 2028, as well as tax benefits for tenants and landlords.

A second decree provided for a two-year extension of existing leases due to expire by the end of 2028. Growing demand for housing - too few new builds The crisis in Spain's housing market has several causes. The population has grown by three million people since 2015, a 7% increase, according to figures from the national statistics agency Ine.

Tourist numbers are also rising sharply, with overnight stays in holiday apartments doubling since 2018, reported newspaper El País. In tourist regions such as the Balearic Islands with Mallorca, Alicante, Málaga or the Canary Islands, many foreign buyers compete with locals, driving up property prices. At the same time, too few new homes are being built.

Spain's central bank expects the housing deficit to rise to one million units by 2028 if things don't change. Opposition: Government decrees would make it worse Opposition spokespeople accused the government of making the housing supply worse and driving rents even higher with the intended measures. Míriam Nogueras of Junts called on the government to withdraw its two decrees and instead offered talks on changes.

The government had hoped until the last minute that Junts would at least vote in favor of the first decree. The government had responded to the discontent of many citizens, who could not find affordable housing or were pressured by rising rents and the threat of evictions, with the two decrees. This dissatisfaction became nationwide demonstrations when on the previous Wednesday, 87-year-old Mariacarmen Abascal was forcibly removed from her home by police by the government.

The outrage after the eviction of the senior citizen was immense: In Madrid and other cities, tens of thousands took to the streets under the slogan "Ni una Maricarmen más" ("Not one more Mariacarmen"). Protests were also set up in Barcelona, Seville or Málaga.