Spain’s government is attempting to salvage key legislative measures, including a planned pension increase, by splitting a contentious “social shield” decree into two separate bills following a parliamentary defeat. The move, announced on , comes after Congress formally struck down the original omnibus decree, resetting the clock on measures intended to run through the end of the year.
The initial defeat wasn’t directly about pensions, but rather the bundling of pension rises with broader social protections, particularly those related to housing and evictions. Opposition parties, including Junts, made the housing elements a key point of contention, effectively using them to block the entire package. According to reporting today, the Council of Ministers is now approving two distinct texts: one focused solely on pension revaluation, and another addressing the extension of eviction moratoriums and protections for small landlords.
The core aim of the revised legislation is to reintroduce the 2026 pension revaluation that was thrown into limbo by the previous repeal. The government’s framework proposes a general 2.7% revaluation for contributory pensions and certain state pensions, linked to existing inflation rules. For certain groups, such as widows with dependents and pensioners supporting a spouse, the rise amounts to 11.4%. Disability pensions and the minimum guaranteed income are also increased.
The strategy behind the split is to make it politically more difficult for opposition parties to vote against pension increases, while still allowing them to challenge the housing clauses. It also serves as a test of whether Junts and other potential partners will accept a narrower legislative text. The government hopes to isolate the pension issue and secure its passage, even amidst ongoing disagreements over housing policy.
However, the path forward remains uncertain. The original decree, approved last December, included not only the pension increase but also measures such as extending the eviction moratorium for vulnerable families, guaranteeing electricity and water supply, offering tax breaks for those affected by natural disasters, and providing incentives for purchasing electric vehicles and improving home energy efficiency. The opposition argued that the government was inappropriately using pensioners as leverage to force a vote on the entire package.
Recent negotiations between the government and its parliamentary allies focused on finding a compromise. The government attempted to address concerns by seeking an agreement with the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) to modify the eviction moratorium, excluding landlords with only one or two properties. The PNV announced an agreement to this effect, with the understanding that the government would provide alternative housing options for affected tenants. This move, however, drew criticism from Podemos, who characterized the agreement as detrimental to vulnerable individuals.
Despite these efforts, Junts has reportedly indicated it will vote against the revised social shield decree, even with the proposed modifications to the eviction moratorium. This suggests the decree faces a likely defeat in Congress, unless an unexpected shift in position occurs from other parties, such as the People’s Party (PP). The PP has also called for a separate vote on the pension increase, but has not yet revealed its final position.
The government, however, remains cautiously optimistic. Spokesperson Elma Saiz avoided confirming whether sufficient support has been secured, but indicated that the revised text is designed to garner broader parliamentary consensus. She emphasized that the government believes the current proposal is more likely to pass than the original, and called on opposition parties to explain their objections to protecting vulnerable citizens.
The situation highlights the complex political landscape facing Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government, which relies on a fragile coalition to maintain power. The outcome of these votes will have significant implications for millions of Spaniards, particularly pensioners and those relying on social assistance programs amid rising prices and economic instability. The fate of these measures underscores the growing tension between political parties and the challenges of navigating a diverse and often fractured parliamentary system.
The government approved a new royal decree-law containing almost all the measures of the social shield in late January 2025, following the initial setback in Congress. This latest attempt to secure parliamentary approval demonstrates the government’s commitment to maintaining these social protections, despite ongoing political obstacles.
