The left in Berlin is proposing to expropriate the homes of big forks: who has more houses in Spain?

The left-wing party Die Linke has proposed nationalizing real estate firms holding portfolios exceeding 10,000 units in Berlin, a move intended to lower rents amid a housing crisis sparking protests across Europe. This proposal could result in the public acquisition of approximately 160,000 properties. The initiative follows a non-binding referendum held in 2021, where 57.6 percent of voters supported buying 240,000 homes through expropriation. Although the initial plan targeted companies with more than 3,000 apartments, potential coalition talks with social democrats and greens have adjusted the threshold upward. The party won local elections in September and pledged to expand public housing stock. Protests related to economic distress and housing shortages have spread beyond Germany. In Spain, a camp at Puerta del Sol has persisted for over three weeks. Similar demonstrations have occurred in Lisbon and Porto, Portugal, while disturbances in France, Italy, and Albania have been fueled partly by residential market tensions. Spain holds 26.6 million homes according to recent statistics from the National Statistics Institute. The Bank of Spain estimates that 16 percent of these are rented, with roughly 8.1 percent of the rental segment owned by corporations. Two entities stand out for their scale: the Foundation La Caixa alongside CaixaBank, and the US fund Blackstone. A study by Atlas Real Estate Analytics indicated that the Spanish group managed 20,300 units under brands including Building Center, Inmo Criteria Arrendamiento, and Living Center. Blackstone held 14,750 units via subsidiaries such as Testa Residencial, Albirana, Torbel Investments, Euripo, and Anticipa. However, both firms have reduced their holdings since those figures were recorded. As of October 2026, Blackstone sources stated the portfolio had shrunk to 12,000 units. They noted no new acquisitions in Spain since purchasing Testa in 2018, which manages 8,000 homes locally. CaixaBank described its approach as active management aimed at progressively reducing assets. The bank currently owns 8,350 units, excluding those held by the Foundation La Caixa. The foundation confirmed it no longer owns properties under the Inmo Criteria Arrendamiento or InmoCaixa brands. It explained that InmoCaixa completed a transformation process involving the divestment of all residential rental assets derived from the CriteriaCaixa division and various social program rentals. Other major players include the American giant CBRE, which holds 9,100 houses. Vivenio Residencial, backed by Dutch and Australian capital, possesses 6,500 units. The Canadian investment fund Brookfield manages around 5,000 homes. These figures highlight the concentration of ownership among large institutional investors. The debate in Berlin centers on whether state intervention can effectively address affordability issues faced by tenants. Critics argue that private markets fail to provide adequate supply, while proponents of the status quo warn against disrupting property rights. The outcome of the upcoming government formation will determine if the expropriation plans proceed. For now, the focus remains on how European nations manage the social unrest driven by rising costs and limited availability of affordable housing. The specific legal mechanisms for transferring ownership remain under discussion within the prospective coalition partners.