Almost 50% of Spaniards in 2019 believed that the average age of emancipation in Spain (30 years) was very high, according to the CIS (Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas) survey. Becoming independent is an impossible mission for many young people in our country. In Europe, according to Eurostat data, they become independent on average at 26 years and 6 months. Between Sweden, the country where young people become independent first, and Portugal, where they do so later, there is an emancipation gap of almost 15 years.

“72% of young Portuguese earn less than 950 euros per month. With that income, it is impossible to leave home at a reasonable age and start a life”, says Tereixa Constenla. In turn, the price of housing is increasingly higher. In Sweden, although the rent is regulated, it is also starting to be a problem. “Many young people have to end up renting something subleased on the black market at an exorbitant price,” explains Carlos Torralba.

‘Global’ is a new video format from EL PAÍS that, around a round of correspondents from the newspaper and experts in the field, deals with the problems and the different strategies that other countries adopt to address them. Each delivery will be focused on a specific theme and, analyzing the available data, will serve to identify paradigms, sometimes antagonistic.