A complex and challenging scenario
The current real estate landscape resembles a terrain full of thorns, where solutions seem scarce and social tensions grow. Despite the mobilizations, the housing problem requires more than simple manifestations; A significant extension of the offer is essential. The belief that a few ‘speculators’ control the market is wrong, as most of the real estate offer belongs to individuals without enough power to influence prices.
An opportunity for new leadership
Despite the lack of immediate solutions for the population, political aspirants find a conducive time to emerge. Currently, conditions are ideal for the emergence of new left voices that can take advantage of social discontent with promises of change. The crisis of 2008 and the mobilizations that arose, like 15M, serve as a precedent for this dynamic, where figures such as Ada Colau achieved significant political visibility.
From Boom to Col·lapse: l’Amphora de la Crisi
The crisis of 2008 was marked by a rise of mortgages that culminated in an economic collapse, leaving many without work and trapped in debt. This situation led to an atmosphere of discontent that was capitalized on the left, with the 15M as a symbol of social mobilization. Colau and Podemos experienced a moment of splendor in this context, but their career has been marked by ups and downs that endure to this day.
The current real estate crisis: a new chapter
We are now facing a new phase of the real estate crisis, focused on rent. While figures like Colau emerging, the home problem has again strengthened, with a shortage of offer that seems to have no immediate solution. Words such as ‘Voltor Fund’ and ‘Tourist Flats’ resonate in public debate, while extraordinary measures such as the expropriation of housing becomes part of the political agenda.
Internal tensions in the social movement
Over time, divisions have emerged within the housing movement, with unions representing different ideological currents. In Catalonia, for example, unions coexist with radical-socialist approaches and others more moderate. These internal tensions reflect the political nature of the problem, as evidenced by comments from PSOE figures that refuse to be used as trampolines for new leaders.
Challenging the narrative: a critical analysis
Many of the current statements about the real estate market are based on erroneous diagnoses. For example, ‘Voltor Fund’ do not control the market as it is intended to believe, as they only represent a small percentage of the offer. In addition, many of the ’empty floors’ are in areas with little demand, and the increase in population, largely due to immigration, is a key factor in the growing demand for housing.
Reflections on the future
The economic report of the Bank of Spain of 2023 emphasizes that population growth is one of the main engines of the demand for housing. In addition, the analysis indicates that short -term solutions are insufficient to address housing access difficulties. In an environment where promises are abundant but often unrealizable, it is essential for new political voices not only to speak, but also offer viable and sustainable solutions.
