Between 2010 and the end of 2023, average rents in the EU increased by almost 23% and house prices by nearly 48%, leading to protests in cities from Dublin to Amsterdam or Lisbon about the loss of purchasing power. The lack of affordable housing and the rising cost of living have even featured prominently in national and European election campaigns – so while seeking MEPs’ approval, von der Leyen did her best to address these concerns in her speech to the European Parliament. “People are struggling to find affordable homes,” the president of the EU executive told the mid-July plenary in Strasb…
