Spanish Congress Rejects Government's Social Shield Decree Amid Political Opposition
The Spanish Congress has rejected the government's social shield decree, including eviction moratoriums, amid strong opposition from PP, Vox, and Junts, reflecting deep political divisions over housing protections.
- • Spanish Congress voted to reject the government’s social shield decree on February 26, 2026.
- • Opposition parties PP, Vox, and Junts opposed the eviction moratorium and protection measures.
- • The government reintroduced the decree separately after it was previously rejected alongside a pension revaluation.
- • A modification exempts landlords with a single rental property from the eviction ban.
- • Congress approved aid for train accident victims and addressed pension and emergency price controls.
Key details
On February 26, 2026, the Spanish Congress voted to reject the government's social shield decree, which included a moratorium on evictions and a ban on cutting off basic utilities to vulnerable individuals. This measure was opposed by a coalition of opposition parties—Popular Party (PP), Vox, and Junts—who argued that the decree effectively allowed illegal occupation of homes.
This vote follows a previous parliamentary session where the social shield was bundled with a pension revaluation decree and was defeated, as opposition parties supported pension changes but opposed eviction protections. In response, the government split the legislation into separate decrees and introduced a modification at the request of the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) exempting landlords who own only a single rental property from the eviction ban.
In addition to the social shield, the Congress approved other measures, including financial aid for victims of recent train accidents in Adamuz (Córdoba) and Gelida (Barcelona), with compensation reaching up to €216,000 for families of the deceased. The session also addressed pension revaluation and emergency price controls on essential goods.
The rejection of the social shield decree underscores ongoing political tensions surrounding housing policies and social protections in Spain. Opposition voices, led by PP and Vox, criticized these protections as incentivizing home occupation, while the government pushed to safeguard vulnerable groups from eviction and utility cutoffs amid economic challenges.
This session also saw renewed scrutiny of Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska following a controversial internal sexual harassment case within the police, with opposition demanding his resignation. Meanwhile, the Plurinational Sumar party advocated for stricter quality controls over private universities under new legislation.
The developments highlight a polarized political landscape as Spain navigates social welfare measures and institutional accountability, with further debates expected as parties maneuver their positions on these critical issues.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
