Junts, PP and Vox block housing decrees
On Friday 2 October 2026, Spanish Congress rejected two government-backed housing decrees aimed at protecting vulnerable tenants and stabilising rental markets. The measures, introduced following the high-profile eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen in Madrid, were defeated by 178 votes against and 172 in favour. The defeat follows opposition from the People's Party (PP), Vox and Junts per Catalunya, leaving the coalition government without enough support to pass the legislation. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged MPs to back the measures, warning that "history will judge you sooner than you think". Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez argued that 90% of Junts' proposals had been incorporated into the final text, published in the Official State Gazette, and pledged to advance the decrees as a bill to allow for further technical adjustments.
Rufián condemns Junts' stance
Gabriel Rufián, spokesperson for ERC, delivered a fiery speech in Congress condemning Junts' decision to oppose the decrees. "And this is objectively deniable, censurable, that your particular interests screw over thousands of people," he said. Rufián accused Junts of "paying a debt" through their vote and vowed to work for their political isolation: "I will strive hard to ensure you end up in political ostracism, that you count for nothing, that my party never makes a deal with you again." The confrontation deepened on social media after Rufián referred to Junts as "classist shits" in response to criticism from Jordi Turull, the party's general secretary, toward Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for the Tenants' Union.
Turull hits back at Rufián
Turull responded by calling Rufián "an invention of the state's sewers", accusing him of being infiltrated first in Súmate and later in ERC. "Everyone knows you are an invention of the state's sewers," Turull wrote on X, adding that Rufián's insults "don't even tickle us." The exchange follows Junts' formal announcement on 1 October that they would vote against both decrees, citing concerns that the measures would reduce rental supply, increase prices, and fail to stop vulture funds. The party has instead pledged to submit its own housing proposal to the Spanish government, which it describes as "broad and technically solvent" and focused on protecting all families.
Public protests grow
Outside Congress, demonstrators marched to Madrid's Puerta del Sol chanting "General strike!" The eviction of Maricarmen, a wheelchair user, has sparked nationwide protests, with camps established in key squares including Madrid's Puerta del Sol and Barcelona's Plaça Catalunya. Protesters demand stronger tenant protections and谴责 the rejection of the housing measures. According to Catalan News, the decrees were expected to fail by Friday morning, with Junts maintaining their position despite pressure from other parties. Mònica Sales, a Junts MP, defended the party's stance, arguing it would be "incomprehensible and irresponsible" to support "bad decrees" just to protect the Socialist Party from defeat.
Reported by lasexta.com, euronews.com, huffingtonpost.es, Catalan News, elnacional.cat, as.com, eldiario.es, publico.es, Newsroom Infobae, lavanguardia.com, VilaWeb Feed, La Sexta Barcelona.
