Press conference by the President of the Government of Spain after the Council of Ministers

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN, PEDRO SÁNCHEZ

Many thanks to the media, welcome to the State Secretariat for Communication, and to the journalists for attending this press conference following the Council of Ministers meeting. I also want to thank the citizens following this regular Council of Ministers press conference via social media, streaming or traditional media outlets. This particular briefing is somewhat unique because, as you know, just 24 hours ago I announced the dissolution of the General Courts and the calling of a general election for this coming 29 November.

Furthermore, I am convinced that if the majority in Parliament, as happened last Friday, turns its back on the public on one of the issues that concerns them most - namely access to housing - then the public must elect a new Parliament.

And until that happens, until the elections are held, the Government will obviously continue to govern by addressing the people's problems - as, incidentally, we have been doing for more than eight years - and that is what we have done again today at the Council of Ministers.

As you are aware, the Council has approved two Royal Decree-laws which, whilst incorporating certain additions that we consider to be very positive, retain the essence of the two Royal Decree-laws that lapsed during the plenary session of the Lower House of Parliament last Friday.

And we have done so because the circumstances that led to the passing of these Royal Decree-laws have not changed in the meantime and, therefore, these Royal Decree-laws would, of course, benefit ordinary people in terms of access to and protection of housing.

And we have done so because the measures set out in these decrees are ambitious, but above all because they are reasonable and necessary.

I have always maintained - and citizens have heard me say this many times during various public appearances - that the vote on these two Royal Decree-laws was not an ideological issue, but a matter of humanity.

These measures are the result of many months of technical analysis, dialogue and consensus-building with social organisations. They are also the result of dialogue and agreement with the property sector, with homeowners' associations and tenants' associations. And, of course, with the parliamentary groups.

And these are measures which, if you ask me, are simply a matter of common sense - I repeat, of humanity - which bring small property owners and tenants together and stand up to vulture funds. Because that is precisely what they do: they target only those who regard housing as just another commodity to be speculated on.

Furthermore, as we have seen recently in many opinion polls, they enjoy broad-based support that transcends ideological divides and effectively demonstrates that the public is strongly in favour of intervention in a market that does not function according to the logic of supply and demand. A dysfunctional market that requires regulation and, therefore, intervention by the public authorities.

It is important that everyone is aware of this, that people know first-hand what the Government of Spain is promoting and what exactly those who said 'no' last Friday were voting against, because those who voted 'no' to these very measures - which are so essential for tackling the housing crisis - could have simply abstained and allowed them to proceed through Parliament.

Specifically, we are talking about 21 measures that will help us achieve four key objectives, which I would like to share with the media and, of course, with the public as well.

First and foremost, to make it easier for people to access affordable rental accommodation and also to buy their own homes, by allowing tenants to claim back part of their rent on their tax return, which, taking an average rent of €800 as an example, would amount to a deduction of almost €1,000, whilst also providing a tax incentive for small landlords - and I stress, small landlords - who let their properties at affordable prices.

And, with a very positive new provision that we have included in this Royal Decree-law, in one of them, which is a funding scheme worth 10 billion - I repeat, €10 billion - offering interest-free loans of up to €50,000 to those wishing to buy their first home. I repeat, €50,000 interest-free, through a scheme to be managed by the ICO for the purchase of a first home, and it will be intergenerational - not only, although it is obviously also intended for young people, but also for older families; in short, anyone buying their first home will be able to access this loan of up to €50,000 to purchase, I repeat, that first home.

Clearly, for many young people, saving up for a mortgage deposit has become one of - I would say - the biggest obstacles to them becoming independent, and in the Council of Ministers we are, of course, going to try to help young people and all those families and individuals who wish to buy their first home to overcome this obstacle. And we are going to do so, I repeat, interest-free.

Therefore, the first step is to make it easier to access affordable rental accommodation and to buy that first home.

Secondly, the decrees we are approving today will serve to increase the supply of housing. Specifically, this will be achieved through €280 million in guarantees to promote industrialised housing construction. As you know, the industrialisation of housing will enable us to shorten many of these lead times and, consequently, increase the housing supply within a short period of time - certainly far more than is currently available.

In addition to those €280 million, there will be €400 million to support social housing providers.

And another point that I think is worth highlighting amongst the measures we have approved at this Council of Ministers, as you know, the public company Casa 47 - which takes its name from Article 47 of the Constitution on access to housing - is set to acquire thousands of properties from the Social Security system. These will be allocated for housing purposes and will therefore help to increase the housing stock, particularly for those groups - the middle class, workers and young people, who need this support and commitment from, in this case, the General State Administration through the public company Casa 47.

We are therefore talking about a second objective, which is to increase supply by allocating €280 million to the construction of industrialised housing; €400 million to the construction of affordable housing; and also the transfer of those properties owned by the Social Security system to the public company Casa 47, in order to continue our policy, through this public company, of providing access to housing for those families and groups who are least able to afford to buy or rent a home.

Thirdly, the decrees will serve to reassure people and provide them with stability. What we are doing, in one of them, is extending the contracts of those who are up to date with their rent by up to two years and capping rent increases.

We are aware that in the other Royal Decree-law we are opening up a much more ambitious debate, namely the automatic extension of these tenancy agreements upon their expiry, except in certain circumstances. We are also aware that, as things stand, there is no parliamentary majority in the Lower House of Parliament to ratify this; therefore, what we are doing in this second Royal Decree-law is to ensure that it comes into force once this Royal Decree-law has been ratified by the Permanent Deputation.

So, what I mean by this is that we have these two Royal Decree-laws, and one of them would come into force if the Permanent Deputation ultimately approves it. Let's hope it can approve both. And in any case, we will work to ensure that this is the case for both.

Therefore, as I said earlier, extending the tenancy agreements of those who are up-to-date with their rent by up to two years, capping rent increases, and also establishing something very important - namely, clear rules on when tenancy agreements are renewed, when they end, and in which circumstances the landlord may also reclaim their property, I believe this is also a very important aspect that provides peace of mind and stability for those small property owners, who are also key to resolving the housing crisis.

And one further point: protecting vulnerable people who have no alternative accommodation, without placing the burden on small property owners, whom, I would emphasise, we are protecting with additional safeguards.

Fourthly: these Royal Decree-laws will serve to combat speculation and regulate both short-term lettings and room rentals; they will limit home purchases by what have come to be colloquially known as "vulture funds", tie tax benefits for SOCIMIs, for instance, to affordable housing, and require tourist rental properties to be taxed for what they actually are: a business. This addresses the situation faced by hotel operators in the tourism sector, who observe an imbalance regarding the tax obligations imposed on different economic sectors.

Anyway, once again, I believe these are measures based purely on common sense which increase supply, provide stability and peace of mind not only for tenants but also for landlords, protect the most vulnerable members of society, and, in some way, begin to bring order to what is currently an utterly dysfunctional market that does not follow the logic of supply and demand, because there is a great deal of speculation and therefore it calls for decisive intervention by the public authorities.

Once again, therefore, what I am doing is asking the parliamentary groups to use their votes to endorse these rights in the Permanent Deputation of the General Courts.

Because, I repeat, we are not talking about an ideological issue; we are talking about a matter of humanity, of pure common sense.

Throughout all these years at the helm of the Government, we have had to tackle crises such as the energy crisis, and at the time we intervened in the energy market with the 'Iberian solution', thereby managing to reduce electricity and gas bills for industries, businesses, citizens and households.

Why shouldn't we be able to do the same by intervening in a market that is clearly far beyond what is currently dictated by the laws of the market, of supply and demand? I believe it is imperative, indeed essential, to intervene in the housing market, and that is also what we are once again doing within the Council of Ministers.

This Government is neither throwing in the towel nor abandoning the people. We will not allow any more evictions like the one Maricarmen suffered, or like those we have seen since the Royal Decree-laws lapsed last Friday, neither during the remainder of this parliamentary term nor, we hope, during the next one, if the public gives us an even more resounding majority in favour of intervening in a market that clearly isn't working, namely the housing market.

I would also like to state just as firmly that these measures, clearly, will not solve the housing problem on their own, because to do so, as I said earlier, we need to take much more decisive action to intervene in the housing market and continue to build hundreds of thousands more homes, particularly social housing and affordable homes.

And that is the major challenge. One of the main challenges Spain will face in the coming years. A challenge, incidentally, that is not unique to Spain. It is a challenge we share with many other European countries that are also seeing the cost of renting and buying property rise exponentially, which is why we, the Government of Spain, were also very much involved and welcomed the European Commission's commitment to create, for the first time in its history, a commissioner and a department dedicated to housing, as well as a budget earmarked for a housing policy that transcends borders and which, naturally, provides a European response to a crisis that is European in nature.

In any case, whilst we are building, whilst the regional governments and local authorities are deciding whether or not to assume their responsibility and make use of the instruments provided for under the State Housing Act - and thus take action at last - the Government of Spain cannot give up, nor can it leave people without protection, as I said earlier, and that is why we have done everything in our power over the years and, of course, we are doing so in this Council of Ministers.

And for that reason, too, please allow me to convey the Government's indignation that these measures did not go ahead last week, during the plenary session of the Lower House of Parliament, because, I repeat, behind them lie many hours, many months of dialogue, technical rigour and a commitment to reaching agreement between very divergent positions, but which ultimately found common ground to move forward - a process that, unfortunately, did not succeed last Friday.

And, above all, there are many Spaniards waiting for a solution - or waiting for solutions. And I am not just referring to those who are gathering or camping out in the hundreds of squares we have seen over the last few hours and days across the length and breadth of our country. Nor am I referring to the thousands of demonstrators on the streets this past weekend. I am referring to millions of citizens who expect their public institutions and their representatives to have the courage to stand up to the powerful, rather than to submit; to defend the public interest, which is, ultimately, the defence of the people's interests.

I believe this government has always been aware that it was governing with a parliamentary minority. And so we have acted accordingly over the last three years of this parliamentary term - just over three years - negotiating to the point of exhaustion, making concessions where we could, right up to the red lines that all parliamentary groups naturally have, and reaching agreements. And with that approach to politics, the economic results are there for all to see in terms of employment and also inequality.

We have passed no fewer than 33 laws, 43 Royal Decree-laws and two constitutional amendments during this parliamentary term. In total, 78 proposals for legislation have been passed during these more than three years of the parliamentary term. I hope it is not 78, I hope it is 80, because that will mean that the housing decrees we are sending to Parliament today will, this time, have been ratified by the parliamentary groups.

But when Parliament turns its back on the reality on the streets, on the public's sentiment and their primary demands, this Government will not look the other way. We have never done so; it has not been our style since assuming these responsibilities, and we certainly will not do so on this occasion either.

You have often heard me say that this was a government of the people. And today, in particular, I proudly reaffirm that commitment to public service, to upholding the public interest, and to defending the interests of the people.

For it is to the people that we answer. We answer to that social majority living in anxiety - people who see that their wages or pensions are insufficient to cover rent, let alone save for a mortgage down payment or help their sons and daughters become independent. It is a social majority that feels comfortable - indeed, happy - in this country, yet still needs to secure a home, whether through ownership or rental, to embark upon and fulfil their life plans. People who do not have major law firms or high-profile lawyers behind them, and certainly lack the funds (let alone public money) to pay for such things, unlike, for instance, certain high-ranking regional officials we have seen in recent months.

That is the real dilemma: whether we defend the interests of the majority from within public institutions, or yield to the interests of a select few who believe they have the right to govern without standing for election - partly because, regrettably, some of those interests found resonance in the vote that took place last Friday. Let us hope that does not happen when the vote is held in the Permanent Deputation.

In any case, to conclude, the Government of Spain is not going to give up; we are not going to stop tackling these issues; we are going to give it our all right up until the very last minute of this term of office for causes that I believe are worthwhile, such as, without a doubt, the issue of housing.

And as I said yesterday, it will clearly be on 29 November that the Spanish people decide on the direction they want their country to take. The Parliament may have turned its back - I repeat - on the people, but this progressive coalition government is showing, through these measures, that it will never do so.

And without further ado, I am now available to the media to answer any questions.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WITH THE MEDIA

Esther Redondo (La Sexta). - Good afternoon, Mr President. I would like to ask you three questions. Firstly, the Constitutional Court has given the green light this morning for Puigdemont's return. In fact, the Supreme Court has acted very swiftly; it has already lifted the arrest warrant. I would like to know whether you are encouraging Puigdemont to return to our country as soon as possible. And whether you see it as an irony of fate that, precisely today - the day after you announced the call for an election - it seems the way is now clear for Puigdemont to return, when this parliamentary term began precisely with that agreement with Junts and has ended with those decrees that have been overturned by Junts. That would be my first question. Secondly, Mr President, I would like to know whether you support the demands that have led the trade unions to call a general strike. General strikes are called against the Government, but here we have the paradox that you may actually share or sympathise with the demands that have led to - or will lead to - this strike. Is this a political manoeuvre, as the PP claims, to save Sánchez's skin? And finally, President, I would like to ask you about two issues that have been raised by the opposition in recent hours. On the one hand, President Ayuso is questioning postal voting, and on the other, VOX is questioning our pension system. I would also like to ask for your views on these two matters. Thank you.

Answer: Well, thank you very much, Esther, for your questions. To be honest, I'm very sorry that I'm going to have to go on a bit, as there are so many questions and they require a clear answer. Regarding the Constitutional Court's ruling, I remember being in Catalonia, at the Liceo, when I announced the measures of clemency relating to the pardons for the leaders of the Catalan independence process, the pro-independence leaders. At that time, and ever since, I have said that all these measures implemented by the Government of Spain during this parliamentary term and in previous ones were not taken with any particular party in mind, nor with any pro-independence politician in mind. We took them with the aim of fostering coexistence amongst Catalans. I remember this very well and I would like to share it once again with the public following this press conference, as well as with the media, because you - who follow me wherever we go, as is only natural given your job - have heard me say this many times. When the events surrounding the 2019 elections took place and Barcelona was in turmoil, I went to visit a member of the National Police at a public hospital in Catalonia and met many healthcare professionals there. Middle-class people who were outraged. They were outraged because the sentence condemned people who were their public representatives - their political representatives - to years in prison. This was therefore a widespread sentiment, one that clearly transcended the views of those who may legitimately opt for a pro-independence stance or a constitutionalist stance, or whatever we wish to call it. It was, therefore, a political problem that we had to resolve through political means. We advocated for pardons; we also advocated for the implementation of an amnesty law. Many things were said: that it was unconstitutional, that it went against European law and justice. And both the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice have fully endorsed that amnesty law from A to Z, with the European Court of Justice stating that amnesty laws are precisely a useful tool for the reconciliation of societies and that it was in line with European legislation. I therefore believe that what matters is this message: the message of coexistence amongst Catalans, the message that, in doing so, we are also defending and strengthening the cohesion of Spain, which was put at risk in 2017 precisely because of the incompetence of those who were governing this country. For me, that is what is important, what is significant - the step that has been taken, I repeat, after almost ten years, after almost ten years. We must therefore respect the Constitutional Court's ruling and, in short, celebrate the fact that, in doing so, we are also helping Catalan society - as it has been calling for all this time, and particularly since President Illa has been at the helm of the Generalitat de Catalunya - to: to look ahead, to learn from the many mistakes that were made by many of those who were then leading that institution - an institution which I am honoured to preside over today. And, indeed, to continue looking ahead and moving forward, to drive forward a very important part of our country, namely Catalonia. On the general strike: it is a constitutional right. As a government, we can do nothing other than respect the exercise of that right. I would, however, like to make a point, because - as regards the amnesty, Esther, as you know, and as you and many other media outlets have reported - we have had an entire parliamentary term plagued by demonstrations and rallies. Unfortunately, some of these subsequently turned violent. I would like to recall the harassment suffered by the Socialist Party's headquarters. Regrettably, we have not seen a firm rejection by the opposition of these attacks on the Socialist Party's local branches and, of course, on its headquarters as well. And, well, it now seems there is going to be a general strike over an issue which I believe affects many workers and their families - namely, access to housing - and so, as the government, the only thing we can do is respect that constitutional right. But this should also be done by all those who have exercised that constitutional right throughout this parliamentary term, right from the very start. Well, regarding Ayuso, postal voting, and the pension proposals from VOX and the People's Party. I have just read a statement by the People's Party spokesperson saying, word for word, something along the lines of: 'The system is robust, the system is sound - the pension system, I mean - and of course we absolutely guarantee that pensions will remain viable under the current model and under any future ones, says the People's Party spokesperson. And 'whatever comes next' - what would that be if there were no majority that believed in this pension system? Because I want to highlight several points. Firstly, this pension reform is the rebuilding of a pact that was broken following the financial crisis: the Toledo Pact. This is a pension reform that we agreed with the European Commission and which was one of the milestones we achieved precisely in order to secure the disbursement of European funds. And it is a pension reform which AIReF, in its reports for 2025 and 2026, consistently states, word for word, that thanks to the strengthening measures, it is a sustainable system. I would also like to add a fourth point. Namely, in 2018 the pension fund stood at 5 billion euros, and today it stands at 20 billion euros - 15 billion euros more than when it was left by the previous administration. What do I mean by this? Well, today, in the space of a few hours, we have seen what the opposition's political agenda is: cuts. Cutting the right to vote of those citizens who cannot go to the polling stations in person on election day. Cutting back, whilst sowing concern, about the viability of a public pension system that has taken us years to rebuild following the financial crisis. In short, what I want to say to the people of Spain is that they should rest assured: the public pension system is not at risk; it is in excellent health; and it can continue to guarantee that pensions are adjusted in line with the CPI, in line with the cost of living, and that the pension fund will continue to be topped up just as we have been doing all this time. Therefore, rest assured, and rest assured too regarding a system that safeguards rights, such as the right to vote by post, which - incidentally - is a right that has been exercised during I don't know how many electoral processes and over how many years, and yet it is now being called into question by those who claim to have, well, every guarantee and every certainty that they will win the elections. I mean, I don't know; perhaps they don't see it as quite so obvious.

Fernando Garea (El Español). - Good morning. I'd like to return to a point raised earlier by Esther Redondo. For the first time in constitutional Spain, there is going to be a general strike over housing, and this is happening just after more than eight years of your government, of your time here at Moncloa Palace. I wanted to ask you whether you feel responsible for the problem that is causing this social mobilisation we are witnessing, which will continue with the general strike. Do you think the protest is also directed against you, given that, for example, you promised to build a certain number of homes - a pledge that has not been fulfilled - and now, if you'll excuse the analogy, at the eleventh hour, you are approving these measures, some of which are aimed at promoting construction? Secondly, I wanted to ask you whether you plan to visit Ceuta before the elections take place and whether you can explain what you think the situation in Ceuta will be when these elections are held - whether you believe there will no longer be any migrants in Ceuta. Thank you.

Answer: Thank you very much for your questions, Fernando. Regarding the first one, I would emphasise that the Government has no say in the exercise of a constitutional right such as the right to strike, for whatever reasons the trade unions may legitimately consider. Secondly, I believe this Government has done a great deal over the last eight years to address the housing issue. We have certainly shifted the paradigm. This is a government which, for the first time in the history of democracy spanning more than 40 years, has passed the first ever National Housing Act, which therefore regulates the housing market at national level, whilst naturally respecting the powers of local entities and regional governments. What is the problem we are facing? It is that the vast majority of regional governments led by the People's Party (PP) in coalition with VOX refuse to implement this national housing law in their territories. Nor do those local entities that request to apply this housing law in their towns have the approval of the regional government, which is the body responsible for authorising those entities to use - or not to use - the instruments provided for in the Housing Act. Secondly, as I mentioned earlier, we have spearheaded the creation of a public company, Casa 47, and have effectively begun the construction of hundreds of thousands of social housing units across the country. However, we need the regulatory framework, and that framework must come from Parliament for many other things we need to do, such as regulating all the matters I have outlined previously. And if Parliament, for whatever reason, does not see fit to approve it and blocks it, then clearly we need a Parliament with different majorities - a much broader majority - to enable those of us who believe we must take more decisive action in a market that is not functioning, such as the housing market. That is the very reason for calling an election, and it is what we have encountered in the form of a vote against us by these parliamentary groups. But we have introduced pioneering legislation, such as the State Housing Act, as well as measures to curb speculation and tourism-related abuse. We have allocated 7 billion euros to the regional governments to build social housing. Just to give an example, seven out of every ten euros that the Community of Madrid spends on housing construction come from funds transferred by the Government of Spain. So, in short, what I'm trying to say is that a great deal has been achieved, but we need to do much more. And if we want to make further progress on housing and resolve the housing crisis faced by many citizens sooner, we need a different majority to the one currently in the Lower House of Parliament. And regarding Ceuta: I believe that this weekend you saw how many of the public spaces that had been occupied by the migrants who arrived on 30 and 31 July have now been vacated. There has been a very high rate of voluntary returns by migrants over the last few weeks and, therefore, I believe the situation in Ceuta is improving, and the Government of Spain's aim is for it to improve much more rapidly. To this end, we are calling for cooperation not only from the Government of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, but also, naturally, from the other regional governments, which also have a significant role to play in finding a solution, particularly when it comes to minors.

Fernando Garea - A visit to Ceuta?

Answer: Well, I'll speak to the campaign committee and we'll see. In any case, the good news - since you've asked me about this on many occasions - is that next week, the Head of State and the Queen will be visiting the two autonomous cities.

Ainhoa Martínez (ABC): How are you, Mr President? Good afternoon. Now that the way has been cleared for Puigdemont's return to Spain, I'm not sure whether the conditions are right for that photo opportunity and the meeting you committed to. Or, with an election just around the corner, do you not consider it appropriate? Another topical issue: the PP has today filed a petition with the National Court calling for the PSOE to be charged with a whole series of corruption offences, including illegal financing. I'm not sure what you make of this move, on the eve of an election, and how viable you think it is - whether you believe it will go anywhere. And finally, yesterday, in your speech announcing the election, you admitted that the Government had made mistakes. Now that we can ask you questions, I'd like to ask you what those mistakes are. And you continually call for a resounding majority, a sufficient majority that you do not currently have; yet, according to all the polls, we see that Spaniards today would opt for a fairly decisive right-wing majority, in the region of 200 seats. I would like to follow up on that by asking why you have given up eight months of progressive government by calling an early election, given the outlook presented by the polls. Thank you.

Answer: Thank you very much, Ainhoa, for your questions. Regarding the first question, we are currently in an election period. We candidates are defending our political positions, which are legitimate, and therefore I do not envisage meeting with any candidate, politician or otherwise, but simply, in the exercise of my institutional responsibilities, engaging in the dialogue that is appropriate with other institutional leaders, but nothing beyond that. I therefore consider that question to have been answered. As for the second question, I believe the headline should be the other way round: I believe the People's Party and Vox have made I don't know how many attempts to bring charges - against me, against all the leaders of the Socialist Party, and against the Socialist Party itself. I believe that clearly, not only in terms of substance but also in terms of style, there are two ways of presenting an alternative. And the alternative that the opposition has been systematically putting forward is not exactly one that addresses the problems faced by the public, but rather one that seeks to turn politics into a legal battle. Well, there you have it. Anyway, it doesn't surprise me. I mean, I don't know if it surprises you that the People's Party or Vox are filing yet another complaint with whichever court it may be, such as the National Courts. Anyway, I don't think there's much of a surprise there. And as for the last point - the polls and so on - I take all polls seriously, especially those which, logically, share their data and are accessible, transparent and open to scrutiny. There are some with which I disagree, others with which I perhaps more legitimately agree, but in any case, I think what matters is that this campaign - as public debate always should - centres on the issues affecting people. Earlier, your colleague asked about Ceuta - what the situation is like there. These are the issues that matter to people. Housing is certainly one of them. Pensions, which we referred to earlier, and the future of pensions are also issues that concern people. And that is what we are going to talk about; that is what we are going to set out in our proposal to the public. The fact that others want to drag politics through the courts… they've been doing that for years. Ever since I became President of the Government of Spain, eight years ago. That's not news; the news is that they should actually propose something. And in that sense, of course, the news is - or would be - that, when the Permanent Deputation is convened, there will be a majority of political groups endorsing two Royal Decree-laws that are vital for mitigating the impact of the current housing crisis being suffered by many communities in our country, many social groups.

José Enrique Monrosi (elDiario). - How are you? Good afternoon, Mr President. Given that this whole political context and the early calling of elections are taking place against a backdrop that is clearly influenced right now by the wave of housing protests, following the eviction of Mari Carmen and the hundreds of people who are camped out in the country's squares, I wanted to ask you: how do you feel about the fact that most of the people currently in the squares demanding the right to housing are also criticising you and your government for your ineffectiveness? How do you intend to manage this discontent from an electoral perspective, given that many people say they feel let down by the progressive government you lead over its housing policy, and what message would you send to them? Because we have seen that, in the squares over the last few days, people have been following live coverage, for example, of your appearance before the Lower House of Parliament or even your appearance yesterday to call an election. What message would you send to those in the squares? And secondly, also regarding Junts, I'd like you to assess what you make of Junts' behaviour as a government partner, taking stock of the entire parliamentary term. You have now highlighted the effects the Amnesty Act has had on coexistence amongst Catalans, but it is clear that this Amnesty Act was passed by negotiating parliamentary support from Junts at the time, and we have seen that Junts' behaviour throughout much of the parliamentary term has not exactly been one of cooperation with your government. I wonder whether, at any point during this parliamentary term, you have had time to regret having implemented the Amnesty Act. Thank you very much.

Answer: I believe that, with regard to the last of your questions, not at all. I would not confuse one thing with the other, and I want to make that clear, because, as I said before, we were doing this for Catalan society itself, which was calling for us to move beyond what it suffered in 2017. And that is precisely where we see this recognition, in the majority confidence that has been placed in the government of Salvador Illa as President of the Generalitat. I therefore believe that this answers your question, although I will now address the other part of your second question. Regarding the first question, I believe that last Friday not only did the Royal Decree-laws lapse, but the masks of the parliamentary groups also slipped when we were discussing what measures to put on the table to resolve the housing crisis affecting many citizens in our country. This Government, as I said in my opening remarks, is aware that it is a coalition government with a parliamentary minority and that, therefore, we had to negotiate with all the parliamentary groups - centre-right, left-wing, nationalist and pro-independence - because we needed to find common ground. And that is what we achieved in one of the two Royal Decree-laws. In the other, the Government is setting out an ambitious debate on the direction we need to take, namely the automatic renewal of these tenancy agreements, as is the case in many other parts of Europe. That, therefore, is the effort we have made. Incidentally, and as you, who report on and follow parliamentary proceedings, many of these measures were either under discussion in committee in the Lower House of Parliament or were persistently put forward by the Government; they have been repeatedly submitted to the General Courts over the last three years and have repeatedly been voted down by conservative parties who believe that the housing market does not require intervention. And there's the PP. There's Vox, of course, but I don't include Vox in the equation because I don't see them as engaging in politics - it's something else entirely. And there is Junts. They have a particular perspective, a way of working and of understanding how the housing market operates, with which we have a significant-a very significant-disagreement that goes beyond ideology and which has clearly been demonstrated by their vote against the bill, despite the immense effort made by the Minister for Housing and by the whole Government to reach agreements. So, what would I say to them? I would tell them that this Government, to give an example, has not only banned evictions and frozen rent prices during the pandemic, but has also extended these measures after the effects of the pandemic had subsided. We have not only passed the State Housing Act, but have also increased the budget eightfold. We have also provided the regional governments with 7 billion euros to build more social housing, but, clearly, if we want to go further in the field of housing and achieve our goals sooner, we need a majority to back what we did not see in this Parliament last Friday. And this requires decisive intervention in the housing market, just as we have done in many other areas. Ultimately, if you look at what this government has achieved over the last eight years, it has been, in labour reform, to rebalance the power relations between employers and trade unions; in pension reform, rebuilding the Toledo Pact by recognising pensioners' right to a decent pension; and with the regularisation of migrants, also recognising the rights of people who are contributing to the well-being and prosperity of our country. And note that we already have more than 430,000 migrants who have been regularised and who are now paying Social Security contributions and working; and also in the energy sector, with the Iberian solution; and, of course, in the housing sector. But we need a more resounding, more decisive majority if we are to go further and act more swiftly in addressing the housing crisis. And regarding the second question, look, clearly the ideological stance of Junts per Catalunya, like that of the PNV and Coalición Canaria, differs from that of the Socialist Party or the progressive coalition government, and yet we have still found common ground on important measures. I would like to point out that, for example, in the context of the Royal Decree-law on measures relating to Iran, there was a broad majority of parliamentary groups - with the exception of the PP and Vox - who voted in favour of creating this social safety net in the face of the energy shock resulting from a war which we have not supported and have criticised from the outset. What do I mean by this? Well, if one takes stock, there are things that have come to fruition thanks also to the support of this parliamentary group, as well as many others, and others that have not. But I must emphasise that I believe this has been driven more by ideology than by, shall we say, a commitment to measures that intervene in the housing market - measures which we consider to be very positive and to which we wish to respond - but I do not see a link between the two.

Daniel Basteiro (Bloomberg). - Thank you, Mr President. As Ainhoa said earlier, no poll currently suggests there is any chance of you being re-elected, but it already seems like an impossible task without the support from the left. I'd like to know what you expect from that group to the left of the Socialist Party: is it essential that they stand on a single list, or that Gabriel Rufián be the lead candidate? Secondly, you have said that the Government will continue to govern. Does that mean there will be new decree-laws on other measures deemed urgent, even if they are not technically decree-laws? There are sectors, such as the data centre sector, awaiting new regulations. And, thirdly, if I may, I would like to ask you about the impact of these elections on the international stage, where you have on some occasions held dissenting or differing positions within NATO or the European Union. I would like to know how you think this dissolution of Parliament might affect pending European debates, such as those on China and the forthcoming European budget, which are due to be agreed upon before the end of the year. Is an agreement possible before the end of the year, whilst Spain is fully focused on the elections? Thank you.

Answer: Well, thank you very much, Daniel, for your questions. Regarding the first one, I am a leader of another political organisation. I cannot comment on what the parliamentary groups that also make up the progressive coalition government will do. I have absolute respect for them and for their autonomy - of course I do. And as for the international pact, the fact that we are currently on the eve of an election does not affect us. I mean, we are going to defend the same position before, during and after the election. And it is an ambitious budget given the challenges facing Europe. As for China, just as we have advocated before and during the elections, we will continue to advocate after the elections for a forum for dialogue and, of course, for the intelligent management of any differences we may have with this Asian country. And of course, it is also true that at national level the opposition is critical of this dialogue with China, but I do not see regional leaders taking the same line. Just the other day, for example, there was a significant investment in Galicia. I was at the La Toja Forum and the President of the Galician Regional Government, who is not a member of my party, acknowledged the work the Government of Spain is doing precisely to ensure that this investment goes ahead. What am I getting at? Things are happening everywhere, and they will also have to clarify their position, but that is not for me to do.

Daniel Basteiro (Bloomberg). - Will there be any more decree-laws?

Answer: Ah, will there be more decree-laws? Well, I must stress that we are going to carry on governing; we are not going to stop. And of course I believe the measures we are presenting to the Council of Ministers today - which we are going to send to the Lower House of Parliament - are very important, because these are measures that had effectively lapsed; with the new additions we have made over the past few days and hours, I believe they form a sound package of measures to, if not resolve, then at least significantly alleviate the housing crisis affecting many social groups in our country. Thank you very much.

(Transcript edited by the State Secretariat for Communication)