Andorra Political Parties Propose Measures on Housing, Taxes, and Working Hours

In the Andorra General Council, parliamentary groups are continuing to finalize their proposals ahead of the Yönlendirme Tartışması (Debat d’Orientació Política) scheduled for next Tuesday, which is expected to witness intense political debates. While political parties share their decision proposals scheduled for voting with the public, issues such as housing, wages, and taxes are particularly prominent on the agendas of formations like the Demokratlar (DA), Sosyal Demokrat Parti (PS), and Andorra İleri (Andorra Endavant). The political dynamics in the country tend to concretize parties' pre-election promises and political priorities through such proposals.

The Demokratlar (DA) party has proposed a plan to support low-income tenants living off the books, requesting the launch of a special program for families spending 30% of their income on rent. This proposal aims to establish an effective social aid and monitoring mechanism as a preparation for the process of deregulating the rental market in a controlled manner in 2027. Targeting to protect vulnerable groups against fluctuations in the housing market, this approach envisages lightening the economic burden of tenants and providing sustainable housing support. Furthermore, the party's current discourse and actions cover a broad social spectrum, including issues such as wage increases and the revaluation of pensions.

On the other hand, the Sosyal Demokrat Parti (PS) has prepared a comprehensive package focused on increasing citizens' purchasing power, advocating for the establishment of a mechanism to ensure wages automatically increase according to the cost of living. The party has also added a study to its agenda to investigate the possibilities of gradually reducing working hours without a decrease in wages. Additionally, by proposing the creation of a 'National Housing Effort Index' to measure the ratio of housing expenditures to income and securing the rights of immigrant workers through international agreements, the party is drawing a modern framework for social policies.

The Andorra İleri (Andorra Endavant) party, which has presented the broadest list of proposals so far, demands comprehensive reforms in a wide variety of fields such as housing, health, taxation, digital transformation, and foreign policy. Among the party's striking proposals are radical economic and social regulations such as providing Gelir Vergisi (IRPF) exemption for those with annual incomes up to 40.000 Euro and generalizing the 'third-party payer' system in the health system. Furthermore, technological moves aimed at increasing the use of artificial intelligence in public administration and accelerating the digitalization process also hold an important place on the party's agenda. The party's vision includes the state achieving a more efficient and modern structure in all areas that touch the citizen.

In conclusion, although the proposals of other parties such as Concòrdia and Ciutadans Compromesos have not yet been announced, it is clear that issues such as the housing crisis, cost of living, and working conditions are at the center of Andorran politics. The voting to be held on Tuesday, 14 Temmuz, will show which of these proposals have the potential to become law and will clarify political convergences in the country. Such political debates play a critical role in determining policies to increase social welfare in small countries, ensuring that the demands of voters are reflected in the parliamentary agenda.