Catalonia's CGE declares housing‑speculation limit law unconstitutional

The Consell de Garanties Estatutàries (CGE), Catalonia’s top legal‑consultative body, issued a unanimous dictamen finding the proposed law that would restrict the purchase of homes in so‑called “tensioned” zones unconstitutional. The council said the measure conflicts with several articles of the Spanish Constitution and the Catalan Statute, violating the right to private property, inheritance, freedom of enterprise, contractual obligations and legal certainty, and it exceeds the competencies of the Catalan government.

The law, backed by the Catalan government (PSC and the Comuns) and intended to curb speculative buying by requiring that purchases in affected municipalities be used for primary residence or long‑term rent, was immediately challenged by the builders’ association APCE, which called for its withdrawal. PPC spokesperson Lorena Roldán praised the CGE ruling, saying it confirms the law’s legal flaws. Editorials and other commentary note that, while the dictamen is not binding, it effectively halts the proposal and forces a comprehensive revision of the legislation.