While Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pushes housing policies that make renting harder for ordinary Spaniards, his in-laws have secured a prime Madrid penthouse at a bargain price, raising questions of political privilege and double standards.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has championed policies that restrict landlords, cap rents, and tighten controls on private property, all in the name of housing affordability. Yet, a recent report by THE OBJECTIVE reveals that while ordinary Spaniards face rising rents and fewer options, members of Sánchez’s own family have enjoyed a prime Madrid penthouse at a bargain price, raising serious questions of double standards that have attracted international attention (for example an article in The Times: Spanish PM’s in-laws have rent subsidised despite housing crisis)
A publicly owned penthouse at a fraction of the market price
Since at least 2015, the father and uncle of Sánchez’s wife Begoña Gómez have rented a 139-square-metre penthouse near Gran Vía from Muface, a public entity, for just €850 per month—far below market rates. In contrast, THE OBJECTIVE found that the same amount in the area would barely cover a 28-square-metre studio.
Alleged tourist rentals in a property registered as an office
Adding to the controversy, the report claims that the property was also operated as a tourist rental business with 14 rooms from 2015 until 2022, despite being registered as an office in the cadastre. While authorities have cracked down on short-term lets, this one seemingly went unnoticed.
Double standards in housing policy
Sánchez’s government has imposed rent controls, discouraged private landlords, and reduced rental supply, making it harder for ordinary people to find housing. Yet, his own family has benefited from favourable treatment in the public rental sector.
The issue isn’t just the low rent, but the contrast between the government’s rhetoric and reality. If Spain is facing a housing crisis, why do politically connected insiders seem to fare so much better than the average renter?
While Muface’s policies deserve scrutiny, the bigger question is whether a government that preaches fairness is practising it—or if political privilege is at play.
