Spanish Government Resubmits Housing Decrees Amid Rising Social Pressure

• The Spanish government plans to reintroduce housing protection measures in a bid to center the upcoming electoral debate on housing policy.
• Known as the "Maricarmen effect," this push stems from sustained grassroots activism demanding stronger protections against rising housing costs and evictions.

Legislative Strategy

• The Council of Ministers will split the measures into two decrees to navigate the Permanent Deputation of Congress:
  • Decree 1: Includes eviction moratoriums until 2030, contract extensions until 2028, tourism/seasonal rental regulation, and restrictions on speculative corporate buying. The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) is likely to support this.
  • Decree 2: Focused on indefinite rental contracts, a key demand of tenant unions, which faces opposition from the PNV.
• The government holds a one-vote majority in the Permanent Deputation, provided the PNV does not align with the right-wing opposition block.

Criticism and Implementation Challenges

• Housing activists and researchers note that previous versions of these measures were plagued by ambiguities that hindered their practical application:
  • Vague definitions of "vulture funds" and speculative buying leave too much discretion to judges, undermining protections.
  • The distinction between corporate entities and small landlords remains poorly defined, creating legal loopholes.
  • Fiscal measures have been criticized for providing excessive tax breaks to landlords in exchange for minimal rent reductions.
• Beyond the current legislative efforts, tenant unions and major labor groups have called for a general strike, vowing to maintain pressure regardless of electoral outcomes.