MADRID, Spain – Spain’s interim parliament has approved a package of housing protections following nationwide demonstrations and a general strike over rising rents and housing costs, giving the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez a narrow legislative victory ahead of an early general election on November 29.
The decree passed by 35 votes to 34 on Thursday, November 12, in the 69-member Permanent Deputation, which continues parliamentary business after the dissolution of the full 350-member Congress. The approved measures extend protections for vulnerable tenants, restrict certain speculative property purchases and limit rent increases.
The measures’ future remains uncertain. The conservative opposition Popular Party (PP) has pledged to repeal them if it forms the next government.
Housing protections pass by one vote
The approved legislation includes an extension of protections against eviction for tenants considered financially or socially vulnerable who have no alternative accommodation.
Under the decree, certain eviction proceedings can be suspended through December 31, 2030, when affected tenants meet the legal vulnerability conditions and authorities have not provided alternative housing. The legislation also establishes procedures requiring regional administrations to intervene in certain eviction cases involving unpaid rent.
The package also restricts certain companies, investment funds and large property owners from purchasing residential properties for less than 70% of their independently assessed market value. The restriction is scheduled to remain in force until the end of 2030, subject to specified exceptions.
Other provisions include limits on rent increases, tax measures affecting some tourist accommodation and financial incentives intended to support residential rentals and first-time homebuyers.
For existing rental agreements, the decree prevents annual increases through December 2027 when the rent already exceeds the applicable reference-price index. Where the rent does not exceed that reference, the increase is generally limited to 2% in the absence of an agreement between the parties.
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Separate rental-contract measure rejected
Lawmakers also considered a second decree designed to provide greater stability for tenants by making residential rental contracts automatically renewable under specified conditions.
That proposal was rejected by 34 votes to 35. It would have required landlords seeking to end qualifying contracts to compensate tenants with an amount equivalent to 12 months of rent, subject to exceptions.
Opponents argued that the provision could encourage property owners to withdraw homes from the rental market, reducing supply and putting further pressure on prices.
The two measures were considered separately, allowing the government to secure approval for the broader housing-protection package despite losing the vote on automatic renewals.
Nationwide protests intensify pressure on government
The parliamentary vote came one day after Spain experienced a nationwide general strike and demonstrations over housing affordability and declining purchasing power.
Protests took place in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities on November 11. Demonstrators called for stronger tenant protections and action to address rising rents, while roadblocks and transport disruptions affected parts of the country.
The demonstrations followed public anger over the September eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal from her Madrid home. Her subsequent death in October became a focal point for protests over housing insecurity.
The scale of participation was disputed. Major unions described the strike as a significant mobilization, while employers’ organizations characterized participation as low.
November election could reverse housing policy
The housing dispute has become a central issue ahead of Spain’s November 29 general election.
The Popular Party, led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo, has said it would repeal the government’s housing measures if it takes power. The party has instead proposed increasing home construction, including a target of one million new homes, alongside tax reductions and changes intended to make property development easier.
The opposition has argued that the government’s restrictions could discourage property owners and investors, reduce the availability of rental homes and push prices higher. The government maintains that stronger tenant protections and limits on speculative purchases are necessary to improve access to housing.
The November 12 vote therefore secured parliamentary approval for the decree, but it did not settle the broader political dispute over how Spain should address its housing crisis.
The next government will determine whether the approved protections remain part of the country’s housing policy or face a new legislative challenge.
Primary Sources: Government of Spain, La Moncloa, “Urgent Measures to Promote and Protect the Right to Housing,” October 8, 2026, outlining the two housing decrees, including eviction protections through December 2030, restrictions on certain speculative property purchases, rent-increase limits, tax provisions and support for first-time buyers; Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado), Real Decreto-ley 29/2026, October 6, 2026, published October 7, establishing urgent measures to protect the social function of housing and expand affordable housing; Congress of Deputies, Permanent Deputation, official session record and audiovisual proceedings, November 12, 2026, documenting consideration of Real Decreto-ley 28/2026 on rental-contract stability and Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 on housing protections. The official session record identifies the measures considered; the vote totals cited in this article are corroborated by contemporaneous reporting.
