“We’re not going to stop.” It is the message sent by the Government about providing a solution to the housing crisis. The Housing Minister repeated it this Tuesday, Isabel Rodriguez, after a meeting with thirty organizations in Moncloa where he was also Pedro Sanchez. The truth is that Rodríguez faces a kind of political examination this Wednesday after weeks of parliamentary criticism and mobilizations in the streets.
The Congress of Deputies holds an emergency appearance by the Minister of Housing. It was requested by the groups of ERC, EH Bildu and Mixed through the BNG. Sumar and PP supported the petition, which literally points out the “inaction of the Government and the lack of measures aimed at enabling citizens’ access to decent housing.” They also refer to Rodríguez’s statements from September “appealing to the solidarity of owners as a way to contain the rise in rental prices.”
Since then, citizen pressure has not stopped increasing. On October 13th they took to the streets thousands of people in Madrid in a demonstration that demonstrated the rise of the movement. This weekend the actions have been replicated in cities like Valenciawhere there are even young people camping permanently.
Just the day after the call in Madrid, the Government reacted with two announcements. one about him Young Rental Bonus and another on a regulation related to tourist and seasonal rentals. None of them were received with satisfaction from social groups.
The Government’s public message, however, is that they have to react forcefully. Sánchez himself said it after the Madrid demonstration. The Ministry of Housing defends its management, pointing out that they have complied with many of the points of the coalition agreement between PSOE and Sumar. And furthermore, they “listen”, as demonstrated by the aforementioned meetings with organizations and the commitment to create working groups to seek solutions.
The meeting was marred, however, by the refusal of the Tenants Uniondespite being invited. They consider in this organization, one of the most active in recent calls, that they cannot also sit down with the real estate employers and insist on asking for Rodríguez’s resignation.
Rodríguez anticipates that he will offer an “exhaustive balance” of all the Government’s measures
Rodríguez precisely appealed to the “climate of agreement” experienced at this Monday’s meeting as an example of what he expects for the appearance in Congress. “I will show a balance, it will serve to make a exhaustive balanceto share proposals that are underway. This minister has complied with a good part of the agreements, I expect Parliament to live up to society and that is what I try to apply every day,” he added.
Moncloa also defends that the Sánchez Government has multiplied by eight the budget that Mariano Rajoy allocated to housing. “Thanks to this budget increase, the Government finances around 70%-75% of the housing policies of the autonomous communities,” they highlight.
The pressure from the left
The housing crisis has opened a significant gap in the Government coalition. From Sumar they have not stopped attacking the socialists and proposing more ambition. Also at the doors of this appearance. The second vice president Yolanda Diaz He pointed out that he hopes that Rodríguez will be “at the level of the country’s debate” this Wednesday and offer “answers” and not just the diagnosis. Díaz has recognized and regretted that the Government is not doing everything possible to solve housing problems.
In this sense, the PSOE partners are categorical. “The question that must be addressed in the appearance of the Minister of Housing is whether for her housing is a business or a right. The ministry is in a crossroads on which this legislature depends,” said Íñigo Errejón, parliamentary spokesperson for Sumar this Tuesday.
ERC has also made a move in the last few hours and this Tuesday it registered again in Congress the seasonal rental law that brought down Junts and that precisely promoted the Tenants’ Union. “I think what needs to be done is to intervene in the housing market, limit prices and, above all, not start giving away bonuses,” he insisted this Monday. Gabriel Rufianparliamentary spokesperson.
From EH Bildu They hope “that the Government listens to the demands of the street and feels challenged by the mobilizations that say enough is enough to structurally change housing policies and acts once and for all,” according to sources from the group.
For its part, Can has raised its demands to approve the General State Budgets (PGE). The purple formation has called for a consultation with those registered to support the proposal of the direction it heads Ione Belarra. It is about demanding that the Government break diplomatic relations with Israel and also address forceful measures regarding housing. Specifically, reduce rental prices by 40%.
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