Almeida uses housing push and divided opposition in last Madrid debate

In the final Debate on the State of the City before the 2027 municipal elections, Madrid's mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida announced a series of housing measures while highlighting the fractured state of the opposition. A key announcement was the 'definitive unblocking' of Operación Campamento, a long-stalled urban development project that will add more than 10,000 homes Source: El Mundo. Almeida also unveiled a virtual office to inform about new developments and a plan to prioritize applicants with at least five years of residency in the city for public housing Source: El Mundo, ABC.

Housing and urban development

Almeida emphasized that 98.33% of his 2023 electoral program had been implemented Source: El Español. He defended the city's housing policies, including 1,500 affordable rental units for families earning up to 90,000 euros, and noted that 9,000 tourist apartments have disappeared Source: La Vanguardia. Regarding Operación Campamento, the project will involve an investment of over 383 million euros and construction is expected to begin soon Source: El Mundo.

Opposition divisions

Almeida used the debate to attack the opposition parties' internal struggles. He told Más Madrid leader Rita Maestre that 'who has to renew is you' Source: ABC. He accused PSOE councillors Reyes Maroto and Enma López of politically 'stabbing each other' Source: ABC. Meanwhile, Vox's group showed visible cracks, with Javier Ortega Smith and Arantxa Cabello barely acknowledging each other . The opposition accused Almeida of not addressing the real housing crisis and of promoting measures that favor the wealthy .