The Spain housing measures approved on Tuesday are the government’s answer to weeks of mounting anger over rents, evictions and the cost of living. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez signed off on 21 urgent steps after violence broke out in Barcelona and tens of thousands marched across the country demanding quick action. The package closely resembles the emergency decrees that parliament rejected only days earlier.

What Triggered the Latest Move

The protests were set off by the eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal from her Madrid home last month. After the weekend’s demonstrations, Sánchez’s coalition, which has no majority, lost a vote when right-wing opposition parties blocked its earlier decrees. He then called an early election for November 29.

Pressure has kept building on his administration, with protesters accusing it of not doing enough to confront a runaway housing crisis.

What the Package Includes

The measures cover a wide range of areas:

• Making it easier to rent or buy a new home
• Extending eviction protections for vulnerable residents
• Regulating room rentals
• Imposing a new tax on seasonal rentals
• Banning speculative real estate purchases
• Offering tax breaks to owners and tenants who pay on time

Sánchez also announced a 10 billion euro fund to provide loans of up to 50,000 euros for buying a first home, along with construction subsidies. Speaking at the Presidential Palace, he said the government would not allow any more evictions like the one Abascal, known as Maricarmen, suffered.

A Different Route Through Parliament

Because parliament has been dissolved for the election, the decrees must now be ratified by an interim legislature of 69 members instead of the usual 350. Sánchez’s coalition needs only 35 votes to pass them. He still appealed to opponents, calling this a matter of common sense rather than ideology, and urged lawmakers to stand up to the powerful instead of submitting to them.

Violence in Barcelona

A severe weather alert forced organisers to postpone the Barcelona protest until Monday. What began as a large and peaceful march turned violent when groups of hundreds of hardline activists clashed with police, threw stones and set rubbish containers on fire.

What Experts Say

Alejandro Quiroga, a political science professor at Madrid’s Complutense University, said using the interim legislature is constitutional and also a necessary political step. In his view, a leader who calls an election to keep attention on housing cannot simply sit back and do nothing.

Why the Crisis Persists

Rising costs and a shortage of homes are pricing many Spaniards out of the market, even though Europe’s fourth-largest economy is growing strongly. Protesters want stronger tenant protections, action against fraud, and a ban on evictions when no alternative housing is available.

What to Watch Next

• Whether the interim legislature ratifies the decrees
• How opposition parties vote
• Further protests or clashes in major cities
• How housing shapes the campaign before November 29

The Bottom Line

With the election looming, housing has become the defining test for Sánchez. The new package may be passed more easily this time, but whether it satisfies angry protesters and persuades voters is still an open question.