El Diario de la Vivienda

Catalonia has gained population since 2008, rising from 7.29 million inhabitants to 8.21 million in 2025. Over the same period, new housing output fell sharply: 71,000 homes were completed in 2008 and just over 6,500 in 2025, despite a small recent upturn.

The shift is explained by the bursting of the property bubble, which halted developments and cut off bank credit for many projects. Since then, construction has not returned to previous levels, while residential demand has continued to grow because of population growth and changes in household formation.

For owners, scarce supply can support demand for both purchases and rentals, although this depends heavily on the area and the price. For tenants, it often means more competition for available homes and greater difficulty accessing housing.

Protests over the right to housing have spread beyond Puerta del Sol. Camps have been organised in Valencia, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Seville. In Barcelona, the protest in Plaça de Catalunya continued to grow and decided to remain despite the storm and the alert for torrential rain.

The mobilisation follows large marches that called for a work stoppage. The CGT wants to promote a general strike over housing, while CC OO and UGT are still considering how to respond to the social unrest. Housing has become a focus of protest because of rising prices and difficulties in accessing homes.

For landlords and tenants, these mobilisations may increase political pressure for new measures. They do not in themselves mean immediate legal changes, but they show that the debate over rents, prices and supply will remain highly prominent.

Congress’s refusal to ratify two government housing decrees has placed the issue at the centre of the legislative crisis and the electoral debate. There is discussion over whether the ‘no’ could benefit Junts in a possible early election, while criticism grows of tactical manoeuvring and of how the content of the decrees has been explained.

In Spain, government decree-laws must be ratified by Congress in order to remain in force. Housing combines technical measures with strongly marked ideological positions: public intervention, the market, renting, ownership and social protection. That is why it can weigh heavily both in parliamentary negotiation and in campaigning.

For landlords and tenants, the main effect is uncertainty. If a measure does not pass ratification, it should not be assumed that it will apply. Any significant decision requires checking the rules in force at the time or consulting a professional.