Key facts
- Spain's largest unions, UGT and CCOO, announced a general strike for November 11.
- The strike is in response to housing issues, including rising rents and evictions.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a snap election for November 29.
- Spain faces a deficit of approximately 750,000 homes, projected to exceed one million by 2028.
- The average rental price in Spain is €1,176, equivalent to 98.7% of a young person's average monthly salary.
Spanish trade unions UGT and CCOO announced on Wednesday a nationwide general strike scheduled for November 11, primarily addressing the country's escalating housing crisis. This action is set to occur just weeks before a snap election called by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for November 29, where issues such as rising rents and evictions have become central campaign themes.
The decision for the general strike, which still requires formal ratification by other unions, follows a series of protests, including the eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid. Activists have been camping in a main square, demanding solutions to the housing crisis.
Prime Minister Sanchez's decision to call an early election was influenced by these housing protests, as well as parliament's recent rejection of decrees aimed at controlling evictions and rent increases. He appears to be leveraging the public's growing resentment over rising housing costs, aiming to shift the political focus away from his government's handling of a migrant crisis and corruption allegations.
According to the Bank of Spain, the country faces a deficit of approximately 750,000 homes, a number expected to surpass one million by 2028. This shortage has driven up rental prices significantly. The average rental cost of €1,176 per month represents nearly 98.7% of the average monthly salary for a young person in Spain, as reported by the Youth Council of Spain. A spokesperson for the Tenants' Union, Valeria Racu, highlighted the disproportionate rise in housing costs compared to minimum wage increases.