Pedro Sánchez announces the adoption of a Royal Decree-law containing urgent measures to alleviate the housing crisis and calls on political groups to show "vision, a sense of state and responsibility"

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, announced today that a Royal Decree-law containing urgent measures to alleviate the housing crisis - incorporating proposals and initiatives from the parliamentary groups - will be submitted to the Council of Ministers tomorrow, and he has called on parliamentary groups to show "far-sightedness, a sense of state and responsibility" in order to approve the measures. He also revealed that the new package of measures, which the Council of Ministers will also give the green light to tomorrow, will support "the sectors most exposed to - and the families most vulnerable to - price rises" caused by the "illegal" war in Iran.

He made this point today during the closing ceremony of the 'Vanguardia 2026 Awards', organised by the newspaper La Vanguardia at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya in Barcelona, which was attended by the Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, and at which the President of Greenland, Jens Nielsen, the President of the Catalan Government, Salvador Illa, and the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, also spoke. "In an interdependent world, geographical distance is irrelevant; in a globalised world, the consequences of wars and geopolitical tensions will, sooner or later, affect our lives", he warned, referring to the cost of electricity, petrol and groceries.

In light of this situation, he emphasised that "it is our duty to act". Consequently, he announced that the Government will present a new package of measures to the Council of Ministers tomorrow to support the sectors most at risk and the families most vulnerable to the rise in prices caused by the "illegal" war to which "our country has said no with all its might". In his view, "that is where true patriotism lies: remaining true to our values and protecting our country when times are tough, looking after its workers, its businesses, its families, its industries and its elderly". "Patriotism also means preventing an 87-year-old woman, who has been paying her rent faithfully for 70 years, from ending up on the street after a lifetime in her home", he added, emphasising that "we all have to do our bit; the State, the Government of Spain, of course, but also the regional governments and municipal councils, which have specific powers in this area".

Pedro Sánchez attends the 'Vanguardia 2026 Awards' ceremony | Sandra Armada

He calls on the groups to approve the measures: "It is a matter of humanity"

"The Government of Spain will indeed act responsibly," he pledged. He therefore announced that a Royal Decree-law containing urgent measures to alleviate the housing crisis will be submitted to the Council of Ministers tomorrow, following "a great deal of effort to bring it to fruition, through dialogue, negotiation and by incorporating proposals and initiatives from the parliamentary groups". Now, he said, he is calling on all parliamentary groups to "make that final effort to get it through Parliament" with "vision, a sense of statesmanship and responsibility" because "behind every measure lies something far more important than any political calculation, however legitimate it may be: people, homes and lives, and protecting them is, quite simply, not an ideological issue, but a matter of humanity".

Freedom of expression and Greenland

In his speech, Pedro Sánchez emphasised that "journalism's primary responsibility" is "to seek the truth; to remain faithful to it". "It is not easy in times like these, when a biased or outright false headline can have a wider reach than an article based on rigour and evidence. La Vanguardia has not been swept up in this trend. It has remained true to the essence of journalism", he remarked, adding that this "extraordinary" newspaper thereby "upholds the dignity of this profession" and "helps to strengthen our society".

In this regard, he lamented that "even in countries that are the cradle of freedom of expression, press rooms are being closed and prestigious publications are being banned for asking uncomfortable questions or refusing to amplify lies". "The damage to press freedom, one of the essential freedoms of democracy, is immense", he declared. He therefore argued that "silence cannot be an option, because it would make us complicit". In his view, "freedom is not merely proclaimed; it is exercised and protected every day, and a free press is vital to ensure the world does not regress to the past".

The President of the Government of Spain recalled that last week, before the United Nations General Assembly, he advocated for "an international order in which force does not take the place of law, in which no country believes it can prosper by destroying its neighbour, in which lies, hatred and division do not prevail over the truth, empathy and cooperation that we all owe one another as human beings". For this reason, he considers the recognition of the Prime Minister of Greenland to be highly "timely," noting that "when the sovereignty and independence of their territory are called into question, we are all Greenland".

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, presenting the award to the singer and composer, Joan Manuel Serrat | Pool Moncloa/Sandra Armada

"Exemplary careers and professional journeys"

The head of the Executive highlighted that the newspaper La Vanguardia "has spent 145 years chronicling and witnessing the history of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, Europe and the world". "When someone leaves a mark on their times, sooner or later they also leave a mark on the pages of La Vanguardia", noted Pedro Sánchez, who acknowledged the "exemplary careers and professional journeys" honoured at the La Vanguardia Awards. Among the honourees were Caterina Biscari, director of the ALBA Synchrotron; Eloi Planes and Fluidra; Noah Higón, for her fight against rare diseases; and Martin Harper and BirdLife International. He also paid tribute to Montserrat for keeping her mother's memory alive, "a voice that will always beat in the heart of Catalonia and throughout Spain", and to the singers Joan Manuel Serrat and Amaia.

Alongside them, he praised Mago Pop and addressed a few words to Isidre Fainé, president of CriteriaCaixa and the La Caixa Foundation, for "demonstrating that the economy and social commitment are not mutually exclusive". At the end of his speech, Pedro Sánchez highlighted "the value of excellence and commitment". "That is the truth that must guide us," he concluded.

Non official translation