Junts shows itself "disappointed" by the housing decree-laws...but Pedro Sánchez is "optimistic"

MadridWith one of the two housing decrees already published in the BOE —the one regarding the social shield with measures such as the temporary suspension of some evictions—, and the other pending to be so —it will be published this Friday—, political parties are starting to make their moves. For the moment, the president of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, has confirmed that they will vote in favor of both texts, although he has lamented that they are "insufficient". Gabriel Rufián, from the Congress of Deputies, has warned in any case that he will look at every "last comma". Meanwhile, Podemos and Junts maintain the uncertainty. In fact, it is with these two groups that the Spanish government must perform the most juggling to satisfy their demands, which are very often contradictory.

In statements in the corridors of Congress, Míriam Nogueras gave an initial assessment: "We are disappointed and worried". "The two main objectives were to stop vulture funds and protect families. This decree-law does not stop them because they can continue buying", she declared, in addition to asserting that as the reinforcement of the right of first refusal and retraction is written, it can lead to confusion about whether the tenant has preference when buying the apartment in the event of the owner's death or, on the other hand, if inheritance takes precedence.

The leader of Junts in the Spanish chamber believes that the regulation on vulture funds falls short, since the Spanish government vetoes the purchase of properties to all investors who acquire apartments below 70% of the market price. In contrast, Junts sources ensure that their proposal involved directly prohibiting these operations for specific legal entities. "We are studying it. There is a lot at stake", said the secretary general of Junts, Jordi Turull, in an interview with Catalunya Ràdio.

From the Moncloa, after meeting with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the Spanish president, Pedro Sánchez, downplayed Junts' statements and assured that he is "reasonably optimistic" about the final vote of Míriam Nogueras' party. In fact, he considered that the legislative housing package will go forward because it is no longer an "ideological" issue but one of "humanity".

The position of Podemos

Podem, which has not specified what it will do either, has been critical of the fact that the decrees have been split up: "They have cheated [...] Bring the complete decree as the Tenants' Union has asked," said Belarra during this Wednesday's plenary session in Congress, which thus coincides with one of the criticisms from the movement for the right to housing. Podem also believes that it is a "minimums" decree, in reference to what the social shield includes.

"Let's start with Friday. If the measures [of the housing decree] are not approved, there is no social shield until 2030, there are no limits on speculative buying, there is no control on seasonal or room rentals, nor savings for 1.6 million tenants," replied the First Vice President and Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo. The Spanish government includes all these measures in the first decree, while it has left the indefinite contracts in a second decree: the great demand of the Tenants' Union and the left, but which alienates parties like Junts. "It is the most ambitious measure and thus [in a second decree] it remains like a purple unicorn. The [Spanish] government itself admits in private that it will not be approved," lamented Belarra in an interview with the Cadena SER.

This is not the first time that the government has chosen to split a decree in the face of the danger that the whole thing might fall—it had to do so precisely before the summer, when it included housing measures in the decree for the war in Ukraine, such as the extraordinary two-year extension of rents that the left, especially Sumar, the executive's minority partner, was demanding.

Winks to one side and the other

This time, this extraordinary extension is once again being put on the table to appease this party, but it is accompanied by winks to the right—PNB sources in Congress explain that they are "studying" it to see that "everything fits" and "there is no legal uncertainty." For example, heavy personal income tax (IRPF) deductions are included for landlords who lower the rent price (they can reach up to 100%), but it is also left in the hands of the autonomous communities to compensate small landlords when an eviction of a vulnerable family with no housing alternative cannot be executed. This type of compensation was a red line for Junts: "We cannot criminalize the small landlord. And what about all the months the landlord needs to pay the mortgage?", lamented Turull, who took the opportunity to attack left-wing policies: "The evils come from all the posturing policies and from Ms. [Ada] Colau", he concluded.

The PP, on the other hand, has revealed a position—they will vote against it—that was to be expected: "I will not support a deceitful government", said the popular leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, in the corridors of Congress this Wednesday.