Rightwing lawmakers in Spain have voted down a package of emergency housing measures put forward by the Socialist-led coalition, as a protest movement over the country's housing crisis continues to grow.
Key facts
- Spain's People's party, far-right Vox and Catalan pro-independence party Junts voted against the housing decrees.
- The measures were proposed by Pedro Sanchez's Socialist-led coalition.
- The package included a ban on evictions until 2030 and regulation of temporary and room lettings.
- Protesters outside parliament in Madrid held signs bearing images of vultures.
- The vote follows the eviction of an 87-year-old, according to the Guardian.
Rightwing lawmakers in Spain have joined forces to reject emergency measures aimed at tackling the country’s housing crisis, setting a fractured parliament against a widespread protest movement that has grown in recent days, according to the Guardian.
The conservative People’s party, the far-right Vox and the Catalan pro-independence party Junts voted against a package of decrees put forward by Pedro Sanchez’s Socialist-led coalition. The measures included a ban on evictions until 2030 and the regulation of temporary lettings and lettings by room.
The vote came as protesters gathered outside the parliament building in Madrid. Demonstrators held up homemade signs bearing images of vultures, a reference to concerns over the housing market, the Guardian reported.
The defeat of the proposals highlights the divisions within Spain’s parliament, where the Socialist-led coalition faces opposition from across the political spectrum on its housing agenda.
According to the Guardian, the broader protest movement has swelled following the eviction of an 87-year-old, bringing renewed public attention to the housing situation in Spain.
The combined opposition from the People’s party, Vox and Junts was enough to block the coalition’s package, leaving the proposed eviction ban and letting regulations without parliamentary approval.
Why it matters
Housing affordability has become a flashpoint in Spain, and the defeat of these emergency measures leaves renters and vulnerable residents without the protections the coalition had proposed. The clash also underscores how a divided parliament can stall government responses to a crisis that is driving people into the streets.
Frequently asked questions
What measures did the Spanish parliament reject?
Lawmakers rejected a package of decrees that included a ban on evictions until 2030 and the regulation of temporary lettings and lettings by room, according to the Guardian.
Which parties voted against the housing measures?
The conservative People's party, the far-right Vox and the Catalan pro-independence party Junts voted against the package proposed by the Socialist-led coalition.
What sparked the growing protest movement?
According to the Guardian, the protest movement has swelled in recent days following the eviction of an 87-year-old, with demonstrators gathering outside parliament in Madrid.