Spanish survey finds 76% back state intervention as housing crisis prompts snap election

Broad concern and interventionist support

The Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS) published its Housing Barometer on 8 October 2026 based on 6,019 interviews conducted in June. The findings indicate that 87% of Spaniards are very or fairly worried about housing conditions, comprising 51.6% who are very concerned and 35.4% who are fairly concerned. Only 5.1% reported no concern at all, alongside 6.6% who expressed little concern. When asked about state involvement, 76.3% advocated that public authorities intervene in the market as much as necessary to ensure access, compared to 18.8% who favored non-interference in supply and demand. Furthermore, 79% maintained that policy should prioritize housing as a constitutional right, while 13.5% considered it primarily a market asset. CIS data shows that housing has remained the country's primary public problem for 22 consecutive months since December 2024, reaching a peak in May 2026.

Public backing for specific market measures

The barometer tested several policy options recently included in government decrees that took effect on Thursday after earlier parliamentary rejection. The highest level of support was registered for reducing taxes on first-time home purchases, approved by 95.4% of respondents. Expanded construction of public housing drew 91.4% backing, while 83.1% supported recovering public housing units previously sold to private companies. Establishing a state-owned housing enterprise secured 76.3% approval, and 75.6% favored restricting tourist flats. Additional regulatory steps found strong support, with 72% approving tax increases on landlords holding 10 or more properties and 70.6% endorsing a two-year rent freeze. Proposals involving expropriation failed to win majority approval: 49.9% supported expropriating land for public housing with 43.6% opposed, while 40% favored expropriating vacant dwellings against 54.3% who rejected the idea.

Personal impact and tenure split

The survey documented a clear gap between overall public anxiety and direct personal impact across the population. While worry was widespread, only 41.6% of citizens indicated that housing market conditions harmed them personally. Another 52.6% stated that the situation neither harmed nor benefited them, and 4.4% acknowledged receiving personal benefits. This divide reflects the composition of the domestic housing stock, in which 55% of households own their dwellings and 54% of those owners have paid off their mortgages entirely. Tenants represent 24.1% of the surveyed population, while another 20% live in ceded accommodation or pay no rent. Among active tenants, 39% pay market prices, 32.7% face rents above market levels, and 23.6% pay below market rates.

Access barriers and political context

Preference for property acquisition remains pervasive, as 93.5% of respondents would choose ownership compared to 5.4% who prefer renting. Yet purchasing capacity remains constrained, with only 18.4% expecting to buy within the next two years, and 63.5% of those prospective buyers relying on joint purchasing arrangements. Among adults residing with relatives or occupying single rooms in shared apartments who do not intend to move, 85.6% cited purchase prices as excessive relative to income, 84.9% cited high rents, and 77% lacked funds for deposits. The publication followed the death of a resident named Maricarmen during an eviction, which catalyzed street encampments and demonstrations in Madrid's Puerta del Sol. Those events led to a general strike call and prompted Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call early general elections.