Junts has torpedoed the Spanish government’s housing decrees, citing harm to small landlords and lack of rental supply. The move follows intense opposition from business groups and local leaders, deepening the political rift in Catalonia.
Late-night calls sealed it. Junts voted as a bloc to sink two of the government’s main housing decrees. The decision came after days of sharp criticism from business groups and Junts’ own mayors. The standoff over Spain’s housing crisis just got worse.
On October 2, 2026, Spain’s Congress rejected both decrees. The votes were 178 to 172 and 184 to 166. Junts joined PP and Vox to block the measures. Spanish media reported the first decree aimed to stop some evictions, regulate seasonal and room rentals, curb speculation, and limit investment fund purchases. The second decree would have forced landlords to extend main residence rental contracts unless they had legal grounds to end them.
Following the defeat of the housing decrees, Euronews reported that protests were planned in more than 50 cities across Spain, highlighting the public’s frustration with the ongoing housing crisis.
Pimec’s first reaction was mild support. They liked the idea of better housing access. That changed fast. Legal doubts, economic worries, and fears about shrinking rental supply took over. The Catalan Chambers of Property and the Administrators of Estates in Barcelona-Lleida warned the decrees could make the housing shortage worse. Foment accused the government of trying to "socialize private property" and hurting pensioners who depend on rent.
Inside Junts, the debate turned fierce. Some party members said the decrees were shaped by extreme ideologies. Junts mayors called the rules unworkable and legally shaky. The party’s leaders didn’t just vote no. They pushed for changes to help landlords, speed up evictions of squatters, and limit eviction bans to big property owners. Junts also fought against rules on seasonal rentals. They say those rules block access to housing.
Junts had made it clear ahead of the vote that they would oppose the decrees unless the government withdrew them and restarted negotiations on a new text. The party argued that the proposed measures could reduce the supply of rental housing and push properties off the market, echoing concerns raised by Catalan business associations and local municipalities.
Junts’ voters lean right. Their leaders now echo far-right talking points on housing. Junts accuses the government of breaking earlier deals. They want no part of Pedro Sánchez’s agenda. The collapse of these decrees is a turning point for Junts and for Catalonia’s parliament.
Business groups had real sway. Foment’s attack on the decrees as a threat to private property hit home with Junts supporters. Pimec’s shift from support to doubt showed even early backers lost faith in the reforms.
According to recent Spanish media analysis, the defeat could shake up national politics. Some now speculate about early elections if the government keeps losing key votes.
Junts’ move lays bare the deep split over housing reform in Spain. By siding with property owners and rejecting what they see as heavy-handed rules, Junts has drawn a hard line. Business lobbies still have real power. Any new housing reform will face a fight unless it can balance social needs with property rights. For now, the government’s housing plans are stuck. The political fallout is just starting.
