Spain is facing mounting social and political pressure over its housing crisis after tens of thousands of people took to the streets across the country following parliament’s rejection of government measures aimed at easing pressure on tenants and protecting vulnerable households.
The protests came after Spain’s Congress rejected two housing decrees introduced by the Socialist-led coalition government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The measures were designed to address rising rents and eviction pressures and followed the eviction of an 87-year-old woman, Maricarmen Abascal, from the Madrid home where she had lived for about seven decades.
The case became a major focus of public anger and helped trigger a wave of housing protests across Spain.
Tens of thousands join housing protests
Large demonstrations were held in Madrid and other Spanish cities as protesters demanded stronger action on housing affordability.
According to the Spanish government, about 70,000 people took part in Saturday’s demonstration in Madrid, while protests were reported in around 50 cities.
Demonstrations were largely peaceful in several locations, although clashes occurred between protesters and police in Madrid and Valencia.
Police used rubber bullets and tear gas during unrest in parts of the two cities, while authorities also reported arrests connected to disturbances around the demonstrations.
In Madrid, protesters gathered around Puerta del Sol, where housing activists had established a protest camp.
Some demonstrators carried messages calling for a general strike as the housing dispute increasingly became linked to wider concerns about living costs and government policy.
Parliament rejects housing measures
The protests intensified after Spain’s parliament rejected the government’s housing decrees.
The government had approved the measures on September 29 in response to growing concerns about access to housing and the fallout from Abascal’s eviction.
Among the measures was protection against the eviction of vulnerable tenants and changes designed to limit sharp increases in rental costs.
The government had also proposed measures covering temporary rentals and rental contracts by room.
The measures required parliamentary approval because of their status as government decrees.
However, the government failed to secure sufficient support in the fragmented parliament.
The rejection meant that the proposed protections did not take effect as planned, adding to frustration among tenant groups and housing campaigners.
Eviction case becomes symbol of housing crisis
The case involving Abascal became a symbol of Spain’s wider housing difficulties.
The 87-year-old had lived in her Madrid apartment for around 70 years under a rent-controlled arrangement.
Her eviction on September 23 attracted national attention and was followed by protests demanding that she be allowed to return home.
The controversy contributed to the government’s decision to accelerate housing measures intended to prevent similar situations involving vulnerable tenants.
An agreement was subsequently reached allowing Abascal to return to her home under the same rent arrangement.
However, the wider housing concerns remained unresolved, with tenant organisations arguing that the government’s proposals did not go far enough to address affordability and the shortage of accessible rental housing.
Rental costs remain a major concern
Spain’s housing problems extend beyond individual eviction cases.
Rental costs have increased substantially in many parts of the country over the past decade, while the supply of affordable housing has struggled to keep pace with demand.
The pressure is particularly visible in major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, where demand for rental accommodation remains high.
Housing campaigners have also raised concerns about the impact of tourist accommodation, property investment and limited public housing supply on the availability and affordability of homes.
The result has been increasing pressure on households whose incomes have not kept pace with housing costs.
Political pressure increases
The defeat of the housing measures has also created additional political pressure for Sánchez’s minority government.
The vote exposed the difficulty of securing parliamentary support for major housing legislation in a fragmented political environment.
Junts per Catalunya, which has previously supported Sánchez’s government, voted against the measures, alongside opposition parties including the conservative People’s Party and Vox.
Following the vote, opposition parties called for political changes, while reports of a possible early general election began circulating.
Sánchez’s office has not officially confirmed plans for an early election, and the political situation remains subject to further developments.
The housing issue has therefore become intertwined with broader questions about the government’s ability to pass legislation and maintain parliamentary support.
Calls for wider mobilisation
Tenant organisations have continued to call for demonstrations following the parliamentary defeat.
Spain’s major trade unions, Comisiones Obreras and UGT, also called for mobilisation after Congress rejected the housing decrees.
The unions said the cost of housing was contributing to inequality and reducing the purchasing power of workers, while acknowledging that the rejected measures alone would not have solved the broader housing crisis.
Housing campaigners have called for stronger tenant protections, more affordable rental housing and policies capable of addressing the underlying shortage of homes.
The protests have also brought together tenant groups, neighbourhood organisations and other social movements demanding a broader response to housing affordability.
Housing remains a major policy challenge
Spain’s latest housing dispute highlights the difficulty governments face in balancing tenant protection, housing supply, property ownership and investment interests.
The Spanish government has argued that urgent intervention is needed to protect access to housing, while opponents of some of its proposed measures have raised concerns about their possible impact on the rental market.
For now, the rejection of the housing decrees has left the government under pressure from both housing campaigners and political opponents.
With demonstrations continuing in cities across Spain, housing affordability, rents and eviction protections are expected to remain major issues in the country’s political debate.
