Key facts
- Hundreds of thousands protested across Spain on Saturday over the housing crisis.
- Average rents in Spain have risen nearly 90% over the past decade.
- Protests were triggered by the eviction of an 87-year-old tenant.
- Parliamentary lawmakers rejected two government bills designed to curb speculative housing practices and extend eviction protections.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is considering calling a snap election.
- The center-right People's Party leads in electoral polls with 34% support, followed by the far-right Vox party at 18% and Sánchez's Socialists at 26%.
Thousands of Spaniards protested across dozens of cities on Saturday against a deepening housing crisis, as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez weighed calling a snap election. The largest demonstration occurred in Madrid, where organizers claimed 500,000 people filled the streets, while the government’s delegation estimated 70,000 participants.
Valeria Racu, a spokesperson for the Spanish Tenants Union, stated that the turnout reflected public frustration with political leaders who have failed to address a housing crisis where average rents have increased by nearly 90% in the last decade. The protests were ignited by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her apartment of 70 years.
Sánchez's government attempted to quell the discontent earlier in the week by introducing two long-delayed bills aimed at curbing speculative practices and extending eviction protections. However, conservative lawmakers in parliament rejected both bills on Friday. Amid this setback, senior government officials suggested that Sánchez, already facing pressure from the migrant crisis and corruption allegations, might call an early election to leverage the anger over housing.
Saturday's demonstrations highlighted the potential risks of such a strategy. While protesters criticized the conservative opposition for voting down the housing bills, they also accused Sánchez of failing to adequately address the crisis since taking office in 2018. Racu called for a general strike to push for urgent housing measures, noting a shift from "disaffection, desperation, disillusionment and sadness" to "a new energy on the streets."
Several regional Socialist leaders urged Sánchez to call an early election, arguing that voters should have their say. Meanwhile, the prospect of an election is prompting Spain's fragmented left to regroup. Deputy Prime Minister Yolanda Díaz has declined to run for reelection, and Health Minister Mónica García and Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun are considered frontrunners to lead the Sumar party. Podemos leader Irene Montero and former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau are also positioning themselves for leadership roles in potential left-wing alliances.
Electoral polls show the center-right People's Party leading with 34% support, with the far-right Vox party polling at 18%. Sánchez's Socialists have 26% support and would require a united left-wing alliance to form a government.
Similar housing protests have begun to appear in other European cities, including Lisbon, Dublin, Potsdam, and The Hague, reflecting a broader European crisis of affordable housing.