The absolute majority of the centre right opposition Partido Popular in the Senate has prevented an initiative by left wing coalition party Sumar to implement European and state regulations with the aim of restricting the sale of homes to foreigners in areas “clearly stressed by tourist activity” such as the Balearics, from going ahead in the plenary session of the Upper House.
Sumar’s Balearic senator, Juanjo Ferrer, had presented this initiative in the Upper House to facilitate access in stressed areas such as the Balearics. In his explanatory statement, he pointed out that one of the main problems was luxury homes and the foreign purchase and sale of these houses. In the text, it talks about finding a way to restrict or limit in some way housing for foreigners in areas stressed by tourism, such as the Balearics.
This has been one of the main reasons why the PP has argued its rejection of this initiative of Sumar in the Senate, at the same time as it has valued the policies of the PP president of the Balearics, Marga Prohens, in terms of housing. “The problem we have in the Balearics is the lack of housing for 120,000, 150,000, 200,000 or 300,000 euros. That is the housing problem in the Balearics and do not deceive people with your radical left-wing measures,” proclaimed the PP senator for the Balearics, María Salom.
She also blamed the problems on the “communism” that, according to her, is within central government, putting the focus on the Housing Law because, in her opinion, it is generating “legal insecurity” and that the owners do not put their homes up for rent. In any case, the PP has made use of its absolute majority to advance its rejection of this motion - a non-legislative initiative -, so it will not go ahead.