“Which in the conditions of the deficit in which we are, (we) clearly cannot allow,” he added.
So the move was designed to “prioritize making affordable homes available to residents,” he said.
Sánchez did not provide details on how the tax would work or the timetable for its submission to parliament for approval, where he has often struggled to muster enough votes to pass the law.
But his government said the proposal would be finalized “after careful study”.
This is one of a dozen planned measures announced by the Prime Minister on Monday aimed at increasing housing affordability in the country.
Other measures announced include tax exemptions for landlords who provide affordable housing, the transfer of more than 3,000 homes to a new public housing authority, and tighter regulation and higher taxes on tourist apartments.
“It is not fair that those who rent out three, four or five apartments on a short-term basis pay less tax than hotels,” he said.
