Within the framework of the European Pulse Forum, an event organized by POLITICO and beBartlet held in Barcelona, Salvador Illa presented his vision on housing policy. The president highlighted that the rapid and efficient construction of more apartments is a fundamental measure to address social concerns fueling the growth of the far-right.
The event, which took place at CosmoCaixa with a broad presence of European and national authorities, allowed Illa to position housing as a "central piece" of his government's agenda. According to the president, ensuring access to housing is one of the pillars to curb the advance of extremist ideologies.
“"Young people need help to get their housing. If we are not able to provide a home for all citizens, something is not working. We must clearly regulate the market."
During a conversation with Ryan Heath, editor for POLITICO, Illa reiterated his commitment to make 150,000 new apartments available to citizens in the coming years. He defended market intervention, citing as an example the ability of municipalities to restrict tourist apartments, convinced that housing is a determining factor in social inequality.
Several counselors attended the event, including Albert Dalmau, Alícia Romero, Jaume Duch, and Núria Montserrat, as well as the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, and former Generalitat president, Pere Aragonès. Illa took the opportunity to reaffirm his government's motto: "We want to generate prosperity, but also to distribute it."
Asked about the difficulties of governing in a minority, Illa normalized the situation, considering it a "sign of today's politics," and emphasized the importance of reaching agreements with other parties. He also expressed confidence in the continuity of Pedro Sánchez's government, highlighting the country's "extraordinary economic performance" as an objective fact.
