SPAIN’S conservative opposition have gone on the offensive, accusing prime minister Pedro Sanchez of ‘handing over the keys of the housing market to squatters’ amid an ongoing row over anti-squatting legislation.
Alicia Garcia, spokesperson for the Partido Popular (PP) in the senate, where the party holds a majority, said squatting – the unlawful occupation of an uninhabited building – had increased by almost 55 per cent since Sanchez came to power.
“45 homes occupied every day and 45 families left unprotected,” Garcia said last week.
“In the PP, we are clear about this. Spain needs security, justice and respect. A home is not booty, it is a home, and a home must always be protected.
“The PP is clear on this: squatters must be evicted and owners must be respected.”
Garcia’s comments come as the PP looks to push through a new law that would give homeowners the legal right to cut off essential supplies such as water and electricity if their property is occupied by squatters.
They say the move is essential for countering the problem of squatting and relieving Spain’s housing crisis, with over 23,000 properties currently listed for sale flagged as ‘occupied’ or ‘illegally occupied’.
The proposal was passed in the senate last week with support from the Basque nationalist PNV and will now head to congress after a period of debate by the lower chamber’s housing committee.
There, the PP will require the support of smaller and regional parties, such as far-right Vox or Catalan separatists, to reach a majority.
If passed, the amendment will alter the criminal code to ensure that interrupting the supply of utilities to an illegally occupied house will no longer be considered as ‘coercion’.
In 2024, there were 16,426 reported cases of squatting across Spain, an increase of over 7 per cent from 2023 and the third-highest figure since records began.
Catalunya is the most affected region, accounting for 7,009 cases – over 5,000 of which took place in the province of Barcelona, representing over 30 per cent of cases nationwide.
Last year, 11,133 people were investigated or arrested in squatting-related cases.
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