Tempers flared in Madrid as Spain’s Congress prepared to vote on two housing decrees aimed at stopping evictions and curbing speculative buying. Opposition from right-wing and nationalist parties has put the government’s promise to make housing a real constitutional right at risk. Reuters reports that Prime Minister Sánchez’s future may hinge on the vote. Junts holds the balance, demanding a full rewrite and threatening to block the decrees at the last minute.
The fight centers on rules that would freeze evictions until 2030 and limit bulk purchases by investment funds. The package would also regulate seasonal rentals and offer young people tax breaks alongside zero-interest loans. Landlords would have to renew leases unless they have a clear reason not to. Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez and Consumer Minister Pablo Bustinduy have championed the measures. The Council of Ministers approved the decrees on September 29, 2026. They reached Congress for emergency ratification on October 2, information from Demócrata.
PP and Vox oppose the plan, while Junts has also lined up against it. They say the decrees miss the real causes of Spain’s housing crisis and punish property owners. Junts has gone further, offering its own alternative and demanding that the government start over. On the other side, PSOE and Sumar, alongside ERC and their allies, say the decrees are the only way to stop evictions and protect the most vulnerable. Ara and Reuters both note that Junts, as kingmaker in a split parliament, could sink the package. Even if PNV or Coalición Canaria abstain, the outcome remains wide open.
The tension extends beyond Congress. Police have set up heavy security. Protesters have camped out at Puerta del Sol for days, demanding action. Demonstrators have kept up the pressure, echoing the outrage seen in recent protests over evictions and housing insecurity. AP reports that crowds marched on parliament as the vote began. The housing crisis has spilled into the streets.
Every deputy must now declare their vote aloud. The session has turned heated. Pablo Bustinduy called it a “conflict of class” and accused the right of turning its back on its own voters. Isabel Rodríguez urged lawmakers to remember their duty. She said defending the right to housing amounts to upholding a constitutional order. Reuters notes that the second decree, which would force automatic and indefinite lease renewals, looked doomed even before the vote. It simply did not have the numbers in this divided Congress.
If the decrees fail, the fallout could come quickly. Political sources warn that defeat could trigger early elections. The coalition is fragile, and the housing debate is volatile. More protests are planned in cities across Spain. The result will echo far beyond Congress.
The vote will test whether Spain’s leaders can protect people at risk of losing their homes. The government’s credibility is at stake, as are the lives of thousands. Deputies must choose between social rights and political games. If the decrees collapse, the coalition will take a hit, and Spain will miss a chance to tackle one of its biggest social crises.
