The ministers and main leaders of the parties integrated into Sumar have appealed for a broad citizen mobilization to ensure that Congress validates the extension of rental contracts. At the same time, they have claimed the pressure exerted on the PSOE and have remarked that housing must become the central banner of the left if it wants to aspire to win the next general elections.
This message was staged this Monday at a space summit held in the Congress of Deputies, in which the second vice-president, Yolanda Díaz, and the ministers Ernest Urtasun (Culture), Pablo Bustinduy (Social Rights) and Mónica García (Health) participated.
Other leaders also attended the meeting, such as the federal coordinator of IU, Antonio Maíllo, the Compromís deputy Alberto Ibáñez, his counterpart from Més per Mallorca Vicenç Vidal, the Comuns coordinators, Candela López and Gemma Tarafa, the Sumar coordinator, Lara Hernández, and several members of the plurinational group, including its spokesperson Verónica Barbero. Among the attendees was also the candidate of the Chunta Aragonesista in the last regional elections, Jorge Pueyo.
The meeting takes place after the 'stand-off' of the Sumar ministers in the Council of Ministers last Friday, with which they forced a negotiation to introduce into the anti-crisis plan the control of the extraordinary profits of large companies and incorporate, through a second decree, the extension of rents that expire in 2026.
“Winning on the street” the rental extension
During her speech, Díaz has stressed that without Sumar these advances “would not have been possible” and has demanded to place housing at the core of political action, reminding that they maintain discrepancies with the PSOE on how to tackle the housing access crisis. She has admitted that on Friday a “tough battle” was fought with the socialists and that it is key to fight it in order to “win it”.
Specifically, the vice president has stressed that her “mission” involves activating social mobilization to ensure that the extension of rents remains in force when it is voted on in Congress. For this reason, she has asked to forge alliances with tenant unions and social movements to “win in the streets” this measure, warning that Junts, PP, and Vox will have to account for it if they overturn the housing decree.
The Minister of Labor has emphasized that the decisive issue facing the next general elections will be housing and that advancing in this area is the way to prevent the far right from capitalizing on "social unrest". She has also defended that the political space embodied by the coalition is essential for the left to be able to govern again in the next elections.
Urtasun warns Junts and wants to portray Vox with housing
For his part, the Minister of Culture has maintained that the push from Sumar is needed within the Executive because the PSOE "falters" when it comes to confronting "certain economic interests", while the minority partner "their pulse will not tremble" so that the distribution of the costs of the war in the Middle East is "fair".
Urtasun has assured that the central task is “to discipline the rentiers and the electricity oligopoly” and has urged Junts to reflect on its foreseeable rejection of the rent extension decree and ask themselves if they are truly defending the interests of Catalonia in this way.
He has also called to expose Vox to “unmask them” and show that they are weak socially because, in his judgment, they represent the “rentiers” despite trying to “co-opt” the vote of the working class.
Furthermore, he has remarked before the PSOE that what happened on Friday proves them right, since “it's no use” for the Government to “self-impose vetoes” and that the “course” until the end of the legislature must be that of brave measures. “We have to make a call from here to Spanish society to mobilize to defend this decree tooth and nail,” he has concluded.
Mónica García justifies the 'snub' to the PSOE
The Minister of Health and leader of Más Madrid has vindicated the 'stand' of the Sumar ministers to achieve control of business margins and, in particular, housing measures aimed at applying a “tourniquet” to the “bleeding in wages” of the social majority that the increase in rent entails.
With irony, García has responded to those who branded this pressure a “smokescreen” stating that “welcome are all the charades that save families 400, 500, 600 euros” and has assured that they are going to “leave their skin” this month to try to get Congress to validate the extension of rentals.
Likewise, he has stressed that there is “Government for a while” and “political space” in the alternative left “for decades”, boasting that the coalition of the minority partner constitutes an “ecosystem of good people who make good policies”.
IU criticizes the scarce time dedicated by Sánchez to the housing decree
García and the federal coordinator of IU have contrasted that, while the president, Pedro Sánchez, dedicated “one minute” to the housing decree in his appearance after the Council of Ministers, they are going to invest “one month” in trying to get it through the Lower House.
Like the rest of the leaders, Maíllo has called for a great social mobilization that allows for the ratification of the extension of rents and has accused PP and Vox of being “absolutely cruel and insensitive” in the face of the housing emergency.
The IU leader has argued that it is essential to offer the “certainty” that the Government protects social majorities and that Sumar is a key piece in the dispute in social matters, as it is the way to stop the advance of the right-wing bloc.
From the “No to war” to the pocket of the people
The spokesperson for the plurinational group in Congress, Verónica Martínez Barbero, has highlighted that Sumar is a “decisive piece” in the Executive and that, without its push, the PSOE would not have adopted certain positions in this legislature. She has also stressed that this space is “essential” and that it has consolidated itself as a benchmark for left-wing unity.
Meanwhile, Alberto Ibáñez has reiterated his commitment to the unity of the left and has pointed out that, beyond the debate about that unity, the electorate now demands concrete measures to lower housing costs and the energy bill. “Too many times the PSOE believes that it fights only with the 'No to war' banner, we also need to reach people's pockets,” he defended.
The deputy of Més per Mallorca has proclaimed that this month's motto must be “housing, housing and housing to fight against inequalities” and has warned that advances must start “until the last moment of the legislature” in order “not to disappoint”.
Throughout the event, various reproaches have been heard against the PP and its leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo. Thus, the second vice president has accused the party of being “vassal” to the American president, Donald Trump, and has criticized that Feijóo, instead of behaving like a “compatriot,” chooses to “drag his feet” before the Trump Administration.