Spain council approves eviction protections, rejects lease renewal

Spain’s 69-member interim parliamentary council approved a housing decree by 35-34 on Thursday, extending eviction protections for tenants in precarious circumstances through 2030. In a separate vote, it rejected a second decree that would have required automatic renewal of residential leases, by 34-35.

The approved measure protects tenants identified as financially or socially precarious from eviction until regional authorities can provide alternative housing. It also aims to curb property speculation. The government presented the two decrees separately, and the council’s votes produced different outcomes for the proposals.

The measures followed weeks of protests and a nationwide strike over housing costs. On Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of people took part in a 24-hour walkout called by major unions over housing, wages and public services. Demonstrations had also taken place in several cities, including Madrid.

The government’s housing proposals gained urgency after the September eviction of 87-year-old Madrid resident Maricarmen Abascal and her death in October. Her case prompted public attention to rising rents and tenant protections. The reports describe her eviction and...