During his speech, the Government president defended the need to "govern" the housing market to ensure its accessibility, especially for young people, and requested to "prioritise" residential use of properties over tourism.
He also stressed that autonomous communities must use the Housing Law as a "lever" to increase the supply of affordable apartments.
At the event were also present the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu; the Government delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto; the Education and Vocational Training and Equality and Feminism councillors, Esther Niubó and Eva Menor; and the President of the Barcelona Provincial Council, Lluïsa Moret, among other officials.
Sánchez emphasised that inequality is the main challenge for European and Spanish society, and warned that in the coming years it will be aggravated by changes such as increased longevity, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and the climate emergency, stating that "the question today is not whether those changes will arrive, because it is evident that they have already arrived".
According to La Vanguardia, the main economic and business organisations in Catalonia, grouped under the name G8, met that same day with Pedro Sánchez and Salvador Illa at the Pedralbes Palace to discuss issues such as funding, infrastructure, housing, migration and the size of companies.
La Vanguardia notes that the G8 presented Sánchez and Illa with the main challenges facing the Catalan economy.
ElDiario.es also noted that Sánchez met with the Catalan employers’ organisation grouped on the G8 platform.
ElDiario.es reported that the Government is finalising a housing decree that would aim to prevent evictions and protect rents.
