Housing scandal involving Montse Mínguez strains PSOE's worker-focused federal committee
A controversy over Montse Mínguez’s ties to a wealthy landlord has erupted just as the PSOE prepares a pro-worker federal committee and a campaign launch.
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) scheduled a federal committee with a clear worker-oriented tone to back Pedro Sánchez’s bid for the premiership, culminating in a rally in Fuenlabrada. Within 48 hours, the party’s own spokesperson in the Congress, Montse Mínguez, was linked to real-estate magnate Sergi Vélez, who controls over thirty rental units, two Panama-registered companies and a property portfolio valued at more than six million euros.
This revelation clashes with the PSOE’s recent anti-speculation campaign, which has portrayed “vulture funds” as enemies of affordable housing. Party officials, including Félix Bolaños, dismissed the allegations as a personal attack and pointed to the couple’s holdings in Lérida, a region under housing-law scrutiny. However, the housing minister, Isabel Rodríguez, criticized the partner’s firm as a “vulture SME,” intensifying the internal debate. The controversy has sparked criticism that the scandal could damage the PSOE’s housing platform and jeopardise the launch of its pre-campaign momentum.
Why it matters
The scandal highlights a potential conflict between the PSOE's housing policy and the personal interests of a senior party figure.
How this story developed
- Sep 29 Polls show PSOE slipping below 26% as opposition parties surge ahead
- Oct 5 Speculation has grown that Sánchez may call a snap election following a weekend reflection period.
- Oct 5 Widespread demonstrations in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga have intensified a long-standing housing crisis, prompting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call early elections.
- Oct 5 Sánchez announced a snap parliamentary election for 29 November.
- Oct 5 The CCOO and UGT unions have agreed to call a 24-hour general strike aimed at securing livable wages that enable access to adequate housing.
- Oct 5 The latest poll aggregation shows the People's Party at 33% and Vox at 18%, widening the lead over the PSOE.
- Oct 6 Sánchez dissolved the Cortes and set a date for a snap election.
- Oct 6 Unions have moved from announcing intent to reaching an agreement that still needs internal approval.
- Oct 6 Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election.
- Oct 7 Luis José Sáenz de Tejada, a dismissed ex-judge, told a criminal associate that judge Beatriz Biedma should be dealt with, according to a Guardia Civil report.
- Oct 7 Unions have said the strike will take place shortly before the snap election campaign, but the exact date remains under discussion.
- Oct 8 The Sánchez government delivered two housing decree‑laws to the Permanent Deputation for review.
- Oct 9 Vox has asked the court to add a homicide‑proposition charge to the lawsuit against the alleged perpetrators.
- Oct 14 Election date moved forward to 29 November.
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