Sánchez government under pressure over housing decrees; Spain heading for a snap election

In Spain, the Congress has rejected the two decrees containing housing measures approved by Pedro Sánchez’s government last Tuesday. The first measure was rejected by 172 votes in favour and 178 against, with the People’s Party, Vox and Junts voting against. The outcome was even more negative for the second decree, with 184 votes against. These are the two housing decrees passed in recent days by the government following the ‘Maricarmen case’, involving the 87-year-old woman evicted from her flat in Madrid, which was rented from a ‘vulture fund’ (i.e. a speculative fund). The first decree provided for a moratorium on evictions until 2030, restrictions on short-term lettings and a ban on speculative funds, whilst the second established the automatic renewal of tenancy agreements and also compensation to be paid to tenants in the event of non-renewal. According to the online edition of the newspaper El País, this strengthens the likelihood of snap elections. Sánchez, who as Prime Minister holds the power to dissolve Parliament under the Spanish Constitution, could therefore convene the Council of Ministers shortly and dissolve Parliament. The calling of elections is governed by the so-called Loreg, an acronym for Ley orgánica del régimen electoral general (the Organic Law on the General Electoral System), which is Spain’s fundamental electoral law, and provides for the vote to take place on the Sunday 54 days after the dissolution. This would take place on 29 November.

Protesters gathered outside the Spanish Congress of Deputies shouted “shame” and “general strike” as soon as they learnt of the rejection of the government’s first decree on housing. This is reported by El País. “Their profits, our misery,” chanted the hundreds of people in the square, vowing to continue the fight: “The struggle is the only way.”