Spain approves sweeping housing decree as tenant protests continue

The Spanish government has published a wide-ranging housing decree aimed at easing the country's rental affordability crisis, as protests over housing costs continue in several cities.

The measures extend protections against eviction for vulnerable tenants through 2030, giving renters facing financial hardship additional time before they can be removed from their homes. The decree also introduces new restrictions on speculative property purchases, a practice that critics say has driven up prices in urban centers by encouraging investors to buy homes purely to resell or rent at higher rates.

Rent limits are included among the new rules, part of a broader push by Madrid to curb increases in areas where housing costs have risen fastest. The decree additionally tightens regulations on temporary and short-term rentals, a sector that has expanded rapidly in tourist-heavy cities and which housing advocates argue has reduced the supply of long-term rental units for residents.

Spain has seen recurring demonstrations over housing affordability in recent years, with protesters calling for stronger government intervention in the rental market. The new decree represents one of the most comprehensive regulatory responses yet from the government, though it remains to be seen how quickly the measures will affect rental prices on the ground.

Housing policy remains a politically sensitive issue in Spain, where wages in many regions have not kept pace with rising rents, particularly in Madrid, Barcelona and other major cities.