El Gobierno aprueba por segunda vez los decretos de vivienda de espaldas al Congreso

This Tuesday, the Council of Ministers approved for the second time the two housing decrees that the Congress of Deputies rejected the previous week. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez attended the Moncloa Palace to defend a move that took place just a day after the call for early elections on November 29th. This action allows the government to bypass the full plenary session of Congress, which is currently acting as a substitute during periods of dissolution of the Cortes, like the current one.

The government introduces minor modifications to the housing decrees, maintaining their essence in benefiting access and protection of housing. The measures are the result of months of dialogue and consensus, aimed at common sense and humanity by only burdening those who view housing as a commercial aspect. The main points of the approved texts focus on subsidizing demand through tax discounts for tenants and quantifying zero-interest loans for first-time homebuyers, up to 50,000 euros.

The latter is backed with 10 billion euros and managed by ICO. Other provisions include extending rental periods, protecting against evictions for vulnerable families, and prohibiting purchase of property by funds considered "vulture" by the government. The renewal of rental contracts automatically also comes with hefty penalties for landlords who decide not to renew contracts at the end of their validity period.

The minority government in the Permanent Deputation forced the government to postpone their entry into force until after the vote, which has little chance of succeeding. The Executive used a legal maneuver in the Chamber's rulebook to revive the decrees that the plenary rejected and seek approval in the Permanent Deputation, where they would not be subject to Junts votes for validation.

With only eight votes from the PP, the vote would be valid, according to legal experts and sector professionals, as it poses a serious threat to legal security and the arrival of more rental supply, which is desperately needed due to the continuous rise in prices.