Spain's government on Tuesday approved two housing decrees aimed at tackling the country's housing crisis, days after Parliament rejected the measures and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a snap election.
The package includes rent controls, temporary protections against evictions and restrictions on corporate purchases of residential properties.
Sanchez defended the measures as "based on plain common sense", saying opinion surveys showed broad public support for government intervention in the housing market.
"They protect the most vulnerable and, in some way, begin to bring order to what is currently a deeply dysfunctional market that does not operate according to the logic of supply and demand because of rampant speculation," he said.
Sanchez said he brought forward the election, originally scheduled for 2027, after failing to secure enough parliamentary support for his housing proposals.
The election is scheduled for November 29.
With Parliament dissolved, the measures can be introduced temporarily through the government's caretaker mechanism. They will then have to be submitted to the reduced legislature for approval, Sanchez said.
The standing body consists of 69 members, including lower house speaker Francina Armengol, a member of Sanchez's Socialist Party. Spanish public broadcaster TVE reported that the body has a narrow majority in favour of the measures.
A second decree proposing automatic renewal of rental contracts will require separate approval because the government lacked sufficient support to pass it through the full Parliament.
Housing has become a major political issue in Spain amid rising rents and limited affordability.
The attempted eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid triggered nationwide protests and intensified demands for stronger protections for tenants. The demonstrations have also included calls for a general strike ahead of the election.
Sanchez said his government would respect the planned strike.