Spanish Congress deputies report rental income in asset declarations

An analysis of asset declarations from the Spanish Congress of Deputies reveals that approximately 17% of the 350 deputies, or about 60 members, report income from renting properties. This includes residential housing, commercial premises, offices, and parking spaces.

Among major political leaders, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reported 12,845 euros in rental income, while People's Party (PP) leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo reported 5,584 euros. The distribution of landlords varies by party: the PP has the highest percentage of deputies with rental income at 19.71%, followed by Vox at 18.75% and the PSOE at 15.70%. Sumar reports the lowest at 3.85%.

The findings highlight potential issues with transparency and oversight, as the Congress does not formally review or correct these declarations. Furthermore, there is no standardized method for reporting such income, with deputies using various terms such as ‘rental of housing’ or ‘real estate capital returns,’ making precise comparisons difficult.