Housing is much more than an electoral hook

The calling of snap elections has ended up revealing that Maricarmen's eviction has been used by Pedro Sánchez as the last hook to hang on to in order to run in the elections with some chance of re-election. Why else was he in such a hurry to bring two decree laws to Congress regarding one of the pillars of the welfare state, which is housing, after eight years in government? Sánchez has chosen the field on which to play the match, and he has chosen the housing field, hand in hand with a high-profile eviction. Power is like the market: when it identifies a competitive advantage, it goes all out.

For now, housing has already triggered an election call and perhaps a general strike. And we shall see if it ends up acting as a social shield but in reverse, that is, as an electoral protection for the president, and not for the people. We will hear about housing, and a lot, surely with anger and shouting, during the long 56-day wait that awaits us until November 29.

But the problem, unfortunately, will continue. And we will miss the opportunity to seek solutions in a reasoned manner. That is why I invite you to follow the eight film forums on housing that the Barcelona College of Technical Architecture and the Barcelona College of Property Administrators have organized at the Espai Texas in Barcelona with ARA as moderator. Yesterday, the opening debate revolved around the great problem of renting, and Llucia Ramis, Joana Amat, and Camino Quiroga brought it into the field, sadly scarce, of deep disagreement but based on data and formulated with personal respect. A debate like one you probably haven't heard in a long time. More will come.