The spokesperson for Junts in Congress, Miriam Nogueras, has not accepted the decree law promoted by Sumar on housing and has also taken the opportunity to warn the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, that the anti-crisis measures designed to cushion the economic effects of the conflict in the Middle East are “insufficient.” Despite this, the pro-independence party gave in to this decree, implying that they could support it if their demands were met.
During Sánchez’s appearance in the Lower House, Nogueras questioned the orientation of the Executive’s economic policy and maintained that several of the fiscal measures announced had been on the table for a “long time” without the Government having acted. In this sense, he insisted that the tax reduction had been a demand of his group for months.
The Junts leader was especially critical of the housing decree proposed by Sumar, which includes initiatives such as the prohibition of evictions or the extension of rental contracts. In his opinion, the text is “badly done” and lacks rigor, to the point that it could end up benefiting actors who should not be favored, such as large holders, while harming small owners who wish to recover their properties.
Barcelona is the example of “failure” in housing policy
Nogueras framed his criticism in a broader questioning of the Executive’s housing policy, which he described as “absolute failure.” As an example, he pointed out the case of Barcelona, where, according to his data, the application of the law would have caused a 90% drop in rental supply and an increase in prices of 63%. “They have destroyed the rental market,” he said.
Junts’ position reflects the persistent tensions in the parliamentary bloc that supports the Government, especially in an area as sensitive as access to housing. Although Carles Puigdemont’s party maintains a pragmatic disposition to negotiate economic measures, such as the tax aid decree, its criticisms show the difficulties of the Executive in articulating consensus around one of the main social priorities of the legislature.