Spain’s parliament rejects two emergency housing decrees

Spain’s parliament rejected two emergency housing decrees on Friday, defeating government measures intended to strengthen renter protections as protests over housing costs continued outside the assembly. The proposals failed after Catalan party Junts joined opposition parties in voting against them. The first decree was rejected by 178 votes to 172, while the second failed by 184 votes to 166, according to reported tallies. The measures therefore received no parliamentary approval. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had urged lawmakers to back the proposals during a debate before the votes. The decrees sought to protect vulnerable tenants from eviction and change rental rules, including provisions related to lease renewals. Accounts of the texts differ on details such as the duration of protections and the treatment of short-term rentals. The government also described measures intended to make property speculation harder and encourage renting. Junts said the proposals could reduce the supply of rental homes and push prices higher, and called on the government to negotiate changes. The conservative Popular Party and Vox also voted against the measures.