Public housing portal excludes Spain's big cities
The government's new public housing portal Casa 47 has launched with around 800 Sareb homes available for leases of up to 75 years, but the initial tenders skip Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and every city with more than 270,000 residents. The largest municipality with available homes in this batch is Gijón, with just 18 units. Applicants must meet requirements including an income limit of €16,800. The Ministry of Housing promises 1,500 more homes by the end of the year, including Madrid's Artillería and Campamento developments. For now, the portal offers little to people looking for affordable housing in Spain's major job markets.
Spanish house prices rise 12.2% in Q2
House prices in Spain rose 12.2% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, the sixth consecutive quarter with growth above 12%, according to the INE. Prices have now risen for 45 consecutive quarters. Existing-home prices climbed 12.9%, while new-home prices slowed to 7.4%, the lowest since Q1 2023. On a quarterly basis, prices increased 3.4%. The INE links the trend to insufficient supply against growing demand, making access harder for young people and lower-income households.
Over a million live in temporary rentals or rooms
Spain's Consumer Ministry estimates that 1.15 million people live in temporary rentals or rented rooms, and more than 422,000 of them would prefer a regular home but take these options because of cost or lack of supply. About 779,000 people live in temporary rentals and 370,000 in rented rooms. The figures come from the 2025 Living Conditions Survey, an Ateneo del Dato survey, and Fotocasa Research 2025. The groups affected are mostly urban and would be covered by the new housing decree, whose parliamentary approval is blocked.
Supreme Court hears challenge to 'ley de nietos' voters
Prosecutors and the State Legal Service oppose suspending the new CERA registrations caused by the 'ley de nietos' (grandchildren law), saying that would amount to reviewing nationality grants. The Supreme Court has heard Vox and Iustitia Europa's requests for interim measures against the July 16 JEC agreement on applying the law. Vox's Jorge Buxadé warned of 'massive fraud' and cited 29,000 new electors in two months and 403,466 more since 2023. Iustitia Europa's Luis María Pardo said the aim was to challenge electoral and census effects, not to strip anyone of nationality.
CCOO calls for minimum wage rise above 5%
CCOO leader Unai Sordo said Monday that the minimum wage must rise 'above 5%' in 2027 and that he will not reach an agreement unless the Government reforms how companies absorb the increase through wage supplements. The current SMI is €1,221 gross per month and August inflation was 4.3%. CCOO and UGT will present a joint concrete proposal. Sordo makes agreement conditional on reforming absorption and compensation of salary supplements, so companies cannot offset the SMI rise. He said without that reform there is 'no' SMI deal.
Work contracts must include more written terms
A rule to be approved Tuesday by the Council of Ministers, transposing an EU directive, will force Spanish employers to put overtime, holidays, shift changes and other conditions in writing and to justify probation-period dismissals. Contracts must include written details such as overtime, vacations and shift changes before a worker starts. Dismissals during the probation period will require justification, although they may still be cost-free for employers. Foreign employees will have stronger legal grounds to demand clarity about schedules and extras.
Spain's GDP revision may confirm near-US growth
The INE's next GDP revision, due Sept. 18, is expected to raise 2024 growth by one to two points, adding €15-30 billion, and could confirm Spanish GDP per capita has grown almost as fast as the US since 2019. The revision would support estimates that Spanish GDP per capita has grown 9.4% since 2019, close to the US rate of 11.3%. The analysis says it would complicate the narrative of a widening Europe-US gap and show immigration-friendly policy is not incompatible with higher per-capita income.
National Court: Ceuta entry was attack on Spain's integrity
Investigating judge María Tardón has taken over the investigation into the mass entry into Ceuta in late July, saying it was a grave attack on Spain's territorial integrity and alleging facilitation from Morocco. The ruling describes a 'grave attack on Spain's territorial integrity' and says Moroccan security forces showed 'permissiveness'. The judge says the facts may constitute crimes against state peace or independence, crimes against foreign citizens' rights, reckless homicide and criminal organization. The National Police's CENIF report warned on July 29 of an 'extreme risk' of mass entry.
Summer road deaths rise 4%; lower alcohol limit planned
Road deaths in Spain rose 4% in July-August to 240, despite a record 102 million long-distance trips. August recorded 130 deaths, 15 more than a year earlier; July had 110 deaths, five fewer. Hospitalized traffic injuries fell 10% to 926. Motorcyclist deaths fell to 54, 18 fewer than last year, the first summer since 2014 with fewer than one motorcyclist death per day. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska says he will again seek to lower the legal driving blood-alcohol limit to 0.2 grams per liter.
Renfe may cut train capacity as Talgo parts run short
Renfe will keep pulling Talgo bogies from circulation on safety alarms even without detected cracks, but spare parts are exhausted and Talgo has not supplied replacements, so the operator may eventually reduce its train offer. High-speed capacity is unaffected so far because retired bogies have been replaced, but Renfe has no more spare parts available. Since summer 2025, eight bogies were withdrawn from the Madrid-Barcelona line; 19 further cases were identified on the Madrid-Valencia line. Among those 19, three bogies were removed after inspection findings and 16 removed preventively.
Airbus plants pause strike while Getafe keeps stoppages
Airbus workers in Cádiz, Tablada (Sevilla) and Illescas (Toledo) voted to suspend their indefinite strike provisionally, while the Getafe plant voted to continue after a pre-agreement was reached with company mediation by the Industry Ministry. The strike began Aug. 25. The pre-agreement will be put to a binding referendum this month.
Unions propose Chinese partner to save Seat
UGT and CCOO have called for a 'common front' with public administrations to guarantee Seat's survival, and say they would seek alliances with other manufacturers, possibly Chinese, if Volkswagen will not fund electrification. Volkswagen and Seat acknowledged last week that the brand could be eliminated after 2030. The unions warn that ending Seat would hurt sales and employment. They call the commitment to Seat and Cupra 'a bet for the country'.
