Spanish adults find tranquility in leaving their parents' homes at the median age of 38, as per the country's primary labor union's report
In a recent report, the Workers' Commission of Spain (CCOO) highlighted the pressing issue of housing affordability and its impact on late emancipation among young people in Spain.
Access to housing has emerged as a significant factor in the delayed emancipation of young people in Spain. The national housing law, adopted in May 2023, aims to provide adequate and dignified housing for those in need. However, the impact of this law has been limited due to the control of most regional governments by the Partido Popular (PP), which opposes the law and seeks to reform it.
CCOO has advocated for stronger public policies to improve affordable housing access for young people. Proposed measures include increasing social housing stock, regulating rental markets to prevent excessive rent hikes, and boosting subsidies or financial support specifically for young tenants or first-time buyers. However, the latest search results do not reflect the exact, updated measures proposed by CCOO.
Unai Sordo, the general secretary of CCOO, has called on the current President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, to limit rent increases and threatened a regional boycott against the purchase of real estate. The report suggests using European Union funds to create social housing programs as a potential solution.
The report indicates that the problems of young people in Spain are becoming less linked to employment issues and more linked to general life issues, including the impossibility of guaranteeing the right to decent and affordable housing. In fact, more than a third of young Spanish workers (aged 25-34) are overqualified for their job, and only 36% of Spaniards aged 20-24 have a full-time permanent contract. The others depend on part-time or temporary contracts, with 44% of women aged 20-24 depending on part-time contracts, and 23% of women aged 25-29 doing so.
The average age of emancipation in Spain is 30.3 years, compared to 26.4 years in the EU in 2022. This is concerning, as emancipation rates in Spain have been decreasing since 2009. In 2020, 55% of young people aged 25-29 were still living with their parents in Spain.
On a positive note, the dropout rate from school without pursuing higher education in Spain has decreased from 30% in 2009 to 14% in 2022. Additionally, 95% of young people in Spain are in the labor market, pursuing higher education, or have a higher education degree.
Recently, CCOO made headlines in Spain by organizing a workers' strike against Amazon ahead of Black Friday promotions. The organization's relentless efforts to address the issues faced by young people in Spain continue to garner attention and support.
CCOO, the Spanish trade union with the largest number of affiliated members and elected delegates, remains committed to improving the living conditions of young people in Spain. Consulting CCOO's official communications or recent reports addressing youth emancipation and housing affordability in Spain can provide more detailed information on the proposed measures and the current state of these issues.
- Unai Sordo, the general secretary of CCOO, has urged the President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, to consider investing in home-and-garden and real-estate sectors to address the housing affordability crisis, as a means of promoting lifestyle improvement among Spain's youth.
- Recognizing the pressing issue of housing affordability and its impact on late emancipation, CCOO proposes increasing investment in social housing and implementing financial support for young tenants, thus significantly influencing the housing-market and real-estate industry.
- To combat the difficulties faced by late emancipating young adults in Spain, CCOO pursues strategic investments in various sectors, including finance, lifestyle, housing-market, and real-estate, with the aim of guaranteeing accessible and dignified housing solutions for all.
