Overview
- First Vice President María Jesús Montero said Isabel Rodríguez has the full backing of the government, a message echoed by other PSOE ministers including Ana Redondo and Óscar Puente.
- Sumar’s spokesperson initially urged Rodríguez to “step aside” but later tempered the demand, while still rebuking the minister’s comment about over‑dramatizing by stressing that the housing situation is indeed “dramatic.”
- Negotiations between the Housing Ministry and Social Rights are anticipated in the coming days to bridge policy differences, with PSOE figures warning that parts of Sumar’s plan could face constitutional hurdles.
- Sumar’s package outlines rental extensions and freezes, higher taxes on large landlords, curbs on speculative purchases, a 21% VAT on tourist flats, and limits on seasonal rentals, with roughly 300,000 leases set to expire in December.
- A controversial Housing Ministry advertisement has fueled public backlash, and EU analysis ranks Madrid and Barcelona among Europe’s most cost‑burdened cities with residents spending about 74% of their salaries on housing.