PNV backs Spanish government's primary housing decree in interim parliament while rejecting rental extensions

Parliamentary backing for primary decree

The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) announced on 6 October 2026 that it will vote in favor of the Spanish government's primary housing decree in the Permanent Deputation (Diputación Permanente). Speaking from the party's Sabin Etxea headquarters in Bilbao, PNV congressional spokesperson Maribel Vaquero stated that the decision rests on responsibility and coherence, as the text incorporates technical revisions requested by the Basque group. The Council of Ministers re-approved the package earlier in the day following its defeat in the full Congress of Deputies on 2 October 2026, when the Popular Party (PP), Vox, and Junts voted against it. Vaquero described the approved measures as an incomplete fix for housing shortages while maintaining that the first decree provides necessary legal security and protection for vulnerable households.

We are going to do it out of coherence and responsibility, knowing that this measure is a patch and that measures will have to be taken from a comprehensive vision.

Rental market data and policy scope

The primary decree encompasses 20 specific housing measures designed to curb evictions, limit property purchases by investment funds, and tighten regulation around seasonal rentals. Vaquero explained that earlier legislation from 2023 had created regulatory loopholes that allowed landlords to shift standard residential leases into seasonal contracts. According to figures presented by Vaquero, long-term residential rentals in the Basque Country dropped by 28% following the application of state regulations, while seasonal rentals expanded by 52%. PNV representatives emphasized that addressing the housing deficit requires administrative simplifications under land law to accelerate construction rather than relying solely on emergency decrees.

Rejection of automatic lease extensions

While endorsing the primary decree, PNV confirmed it will vote against the government's companion decree on housing. The second text, supported by coalition partner Sumar, introduces indefinite and automatic extensions for existing residential rental contracts. Vaquero reiterated that this second measure damages small property owners and generates market distortions that deter new supply. Because the second decree lacks backing from PNV and opposition parties, it will not secure the required majority in the Permanent Deputation.

Debate over interim legislative arithmetic

The resubmission of both decrees to the 69-member Permanent Deputation follows the formal dissolution of the Cortes Generales ahead of the general election. The interim legislative body consists of 27 deputies from PP, 24 from PSOE, six from Sumar, and one deputy each from PNV, ERC, Junts, EH Bildu, and the Mixed Group, alongside Chamber President Francina Armengol. The coalition requires 35 votes (including Armengol and the smaller regional groups) to convalidate the measure. Political scientist Pablo Simón questioned the procedural legitimacy of using the smaller body to approve measures previously rejected by the full plenary.

I honestly believe that it is a fraud of the law.

Simón stated that the reduced arithmetic of the Permanent Deputation does not reflect the balance of power established in the full chamber. Government officials defended the procedure, stating that the Permanent Deputation is a democratically elected and fully operational constitutional organ.