With the basic vote on Spain’s new housing decrees a day away, Junts has warned the government it may block the package, arguing the measures put Catalonia’s small property owners and families at risk. Party leaders accuse the coalition of breaking its word and say they are ready to take the political hit to defend their voters.
“The Government lies. We are not afraid to get burned defending families and small owners in Catalonia,” party sources told this publication. Junts’ executive will meet Thursday to make the final decision. Insiders say the gap between Junts and the PSOE and Sumar alliance has widened since the full details of the decrees emerged.
El Constitucional reported that one of the decrees includes a ban on evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, a measure that has become a focal point in the debate.
Two demands are at the center of the dispute: real protection for small landlords and tough action against so-called “vulture funds.” Junts says the government ignored both. The party argues that the decree fails to shield small owners and instead requires them to pay compensation if a rental contract is not renewed. It also says the plan does nothing to stop speculative investors. Junts says it presented these demands to Pedro Sánchez weeks ago, before the Maricarmen Abascal eviction crisis erupted across Spain.
At first, Junts sounded hopeful. La Moncloa had outlined the decrees’ basic points to the media, but that optimism soon faded. Junts says pressure from the left changed the final text and argues that the law “legitimizes squatting” and leaves small owners exposed. Party negotiators say the so-called ‘Maricarmen decrees’ shift the housing crisis onto ordinary Catalan owners instead of the state.
Article 1 of the first decree is a flashpoint. Junts says it would affect almost every Catalan SME in real estate. The rule prevents any company or group, regardless of its legal form, that buys property from purchasing homes for less than 70% of market value until the end of 2028. Most Catalan SMEs list property acquisition in their business purpose. Pimec, the basic Catalan SME association, has already opposed the decrees, issuing a statement that criticizes them for shrinking the rental supply. Junts’ parliamentary leader Míriam Nogueras repeated that message at the Pimec awards gala at Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi.
SpainEnglish reported that the PSOE and Sumar cabinet approved the housing package in late September 2026 amid an acute housing crisis, but its ratification in Congress remains uncertain because of Junts’ demands for stronger protections for small landlords and more targeted restrictions on investment funds. The decrees also propose automatically extending some rental contracts until summer 2028 and offering incentives to owners who rent at affordable prices.
“We are not afraid to get burned defending families and owners in Catalonia,” Nogueras told the crowd of business leaders. She reminded them that Junts had also fought labor reforms that would have hurt small firms. Nogueras criticized what she called “demagoguery and populism” in the debate, saying Junts would stand alone in Madrid if necessary to protect Catalan interests. The mood at the event was tense. Salvador Illa, president of the Generalitat, was also there; he did not look comfortable.
Junts’ housing spokesperson Marta Madrenas, a real estate agent, is facing pressure from her own industry. Many agents and owners have called and messaged her, urging Junts to vote no because they say the decrees will hurt the market.
The dispute is the latest sign of deep divisions in Spain’s coalition over housing. Other parties have accused the PSOE of siding with big landlords and leaving tenants and small owners behind. The government’s approach is under fire.
The vote is close, and Junts’ decision could determine the decrees’ fate and test whether Catalan interests still carry weight in Madrid. The party is prepared to risk political isolation. Unless the government offers real guarantees for small owners and SMEs, Junts looks set to walk away, even if that means standing alone. The decision could shift the balance in Spain’s housing debate and put the coalition’s unity on the line.
