The Congress of Deputies repeals for the second time the moratorium on evictions and other social protection measures

The plenary of Congress, with a majority of the PP, Vox and Junts, has for the second time repealed the suspension of evictions of vulnerable families and other social protection measures, such as the ban on cutting basic supplies.

The decree was rejected by 172 votes in favour, 177 against and one abstention (UPN). The PP, Vox and Junts voted against again, as they did a month ago, arguing that the moratorium on evictions protects the occupation.

After losing that vote a month ago, the Spanish Government withdrew the revaluation of retirement pensions from the rule, and today, as Junts and the PP demanded, the House has endorsed it in a separate decree. However, it refused to remove evictions from the measure, which has led it to lose this second vote as well.

The Government, with the support of its partners, has ensured that it will no longer "divide" this decree-law in order to obtain the abstention of the seven Junts deputies, which would allow the measure to be approved.

The alternative to unblocking the situation hasbeen expressed in the debate by Junts MP Marta Madrenas: that the state should take on the payment of rent for vulnerable families when they are without alternative accommodation so that they are not evicted.

"The solution does not require new decrees. If they have EUR 300 million to protect vulnerable families, the state can pay the debt and take over the rent while the vulnerable situation persists," Madrenas said.

During the debate, the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, recalled that the PP and Junts voted in favour a year ago of the decree extending the suspension of evictions by 2025, with the "same" text that they rejected today "under the cheap pretext of occupation."

PP Congressman Jose Vicente Marihas replied that his group is "against an article that helps criminals and a decree that protects the Okupas" and has accused him of "flagrant failure of social protection measures."

Onbehalf ofV ox, Carlos Hernández-Quero has told the Executive that he believes it is "social protection while leaving people in extreme social misery" and that he has not been able to "build housing" for the 60,000 families who have been evicted in the last six years.

The PNV representative, Idoia Sagastizabal, has explained that her group does not agree to extend once again the measure that was born as exceptional during the Covid-19 pandemic, but has said that it supports the decree so as not to harm the families affected.

The rule rejected today by Congress introduces as a novelty that, compared to the repealed one month ago, the suspension of evictions would not apply to owners of two or fewer homes, a concession agreed by the government with the PNV, which Sagastizabal has described as a "nuance of justice" towards small owners.

Both the Syndicate and the Members of Parliament of the Government have attacked the right, and some have accused it of "cruelty" and "malice" and have expressed their commitment to seeking an alternative.