As Europeans continue to face a growing cost-of-living crisis, the Party of European Socialists (PES) Housing Ministers met to advance a coordinated progressive response to Europe’s deepening housing challenges, focusing on affordability, regulation of short-term rentals, and stronger EU-level action.
Chaired by Austrian Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler, the meeting brought together ministers, European policymakers and stakeholders to exchange views on the European Affordable Housing Plan and upcoming legislative initiatives.
Participants welcomed the direction of the European Affordable Housing Plan and stressed the urgency of tackling rising rents, housing shortages, and speculation across Europe. The discussion also focused on the need to regulate short-term rentals, ensuring a fair balance between tourism and access to housing in cities under pressure.
The ministers also exchanged on the recent European Parliament report on the housing crisis, underlining the importance of stronger investment in social and affordable housing, as well as concrete measures to combat homelessness.
Participants insisted on preventing housing financialisation, noting that negotiations were made more difficult by increasing alignment between the EPP and far-right forces, which continue to resist stronger regulation and public investment in housing.
Andreas Babler, Austrian Vice-Chancellor and chair of the meeting, said:
“Access to affordable housing is one of the defining social challenges of our time. Yet too often, conservative, and far-right forces block the action needed to regulate markets and protect citizens. Housing must be treated as a basic right, not a commodity for speculation. As progressives, we are committed to delivering concrete European solutions that bring down costs, regulate markets, and ensure that everyone has a place to call home.”
The PES ministers are committed to stronger European coordination to deliver concrete solutions that bring down housing costs, tackle speculation, and ensure access to affordable and sustainable homes for all.
Looking ahead, participants highlighted the need for continued political momentum towards the first-ever European Housing Summit in 2026, which will play a key role in shaping a stronger European response to the housing crisis.
Participants’ list:
- Andreas Babler – Vice-Chancellor and Chair, Austria
- Dan Jørgensen – Commissioner for Energy and Housing, European Commission
- David Lucas – Secretary of State for Housing and Urban Agenda, Spain
- Sean Mangion – Head of Secretariat of Andy Ellul, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue and Affordable Housing
- Gabriele Bischoff – Member of the European Parliament, Member of the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis, Chair of the Social Europe Network of the PES, Germany
- Irene Tinagli – Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis, Italy
- Andreas Schieder – Member of the European Parliament, Coordinator of the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis, Austria
- Pascal Smet – Coordinator of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy, European Committee of the Regions, Belgium
- Yonnec Polet – Deputy Secretary General, PES
