Tens of thousands march in Madrid to demand housing reform

Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Madrid and across Spain on Saturday to demand affordable housing following the parliamentary rejection of emergency relief measures.

Demonstrations occurred in the capital and approximately 50 other cities on Saturday, with Al Jazeera reporting that activists are now calling for a general strike. Protesters in Madrid marched with banners and rattled house keys to signal their frustration with rising costs and the lack of renter protections. While many rallies remained peaceful, Al Jazeera noted that police in Valencia used tear gas and rubber bullets after protesters entered the City of Arts and Sciences building.

The surge in public anger follows the Spanish parliament's Friday vote to reject two emergency decrees proposed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s minority government. According to Al Jazeera, the measures were defeated when the right-wing Catalan separatist party Junts joined the Popular Party (PP) and Vox in opposition. Junts argued the proposed reforms would actually tighten the housing market further.

In the wake of the vote, PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo called for immediate elections, asserting that the Prime Minister lacks support in both parliament and the streets. Valeria Racu, a spokesperson for the Tenants’ Union, told Al Jazeera that the rallies demonstrate a "new energy" and suggest that public pressure may achieve more than previous government efforts.

Spanish media indicated that Prime Minister Sanchez intended to monitor the scale of Saturday’s protests before determining his next steps. The demonstrations included slogans such as “the right to a roof” and “Houses to live in, a planet to inhabit.”

Background

The current movement was triggered more than a week ago by the eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal from her Madrid home. Euronews reported that this event led to an ongoing encampment in Puerta del Sol and intensified public demand for housing action.