Spain’s parliament rejects gov’t housing decrees amid mass protests

Both decrees to tackle housing affordability crisis shot down as critics say measures would tighten the housing market.Spain’s government has lost key votes to ratify emergency measures aimed at tackling the nation’s housing affordability crisis, after protests intensified last month following the eviction of an 87-year-old woman.The proposed measures, which comprised two separate decrees, were both shot down by the majority of ⁠the 350-seat lower house of parliament on Friday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Thousands protest in Madrid against Spain’s housing crisislist 2 of 3Madrid residents feel the impact of Spain’s housing crisislist 3 of 3Tens of thousands attend right-wing protest over Ceuta migrant crisisend of listThe move is a heavy blow to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose government faces public pressure, including from the hundreds of protesters who had gathered outside parliament demanding help for renters.The first decree was meant to stop evictions of vulnerable people, make real estate speculation harder, impose tighter restrictions on short-term leases and provide tax incentives to encourage renting and the construction of housing.The second decree ...