Laurence Crumbie
UNIDAS Podemos has said the PSOE will have to find ‘new partners’ unless a cap on rental prices is included in the pending housing law.
The introduction of legislation to control rental prices was a cornerstone of the coalition agreement between Podemos and the PSOE, but there was no mention of it in the latest draft of the bill.
Podemos, which is led by the Minister of Social Rights, Pablo Iglesias, was also outraged that the PSOE is proposing to dedicate ‘public resources’ to landlords who reduce rental prices.
“The PSOE and Unidas Podemos made a commitment before all of Spain to regulate rental prices,” said Iglesias.
“Not honouring a government commitment signed before the citizens is disrespectful to them. Unidas Podemos is not going to allow the people to be taken for a ride. What is signed must be carried out.”
Iglesias also stated that “freedom in a social democracy does not mean freedom to charge extortionate rents,” adding that “there is no liberty if a family has no access to decent housing.”
The PSOE is against rent controls out of fear that it will reduce housing investment; however, it has proposed a number of measures that would make housing more affordable and ‘stimulate supply.’
These include lowering personal income tax on rental income from 60% to 50% and granting tax breaks to landlords who rent to people aged between 18 and 35, among other things.
Nadia Calviño, the Minister of Economic Affairs, emphasised that there is ‘no miraculous solution’ to high rental prices and defended the new draft of the bill, describing it as ‘very reasonable.’
