Tens of thousands protest housing crisis in Spain as Sánchez weighs early elections

Tens of thousands of people marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities on Saturday to demand urgent action on the deepening housing crisis after parliament rejected a package of government measures. Protesters carried banners calling for a general strike, reacting to the rejection of proposals that had been prepared following public outrage at the eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid and broader housing grievances.

Authorities in Madrid put the turnout at about 70,000, while organizers claimed as many as 500,000 people took part. The demonstrations dominated national headlines and briefly shifted attention away from recent developments in Ceuta.

Clashes in Valencia

The Saturday gatherings were peaceful in roughly fifty cities across Spain, but in the southeastern city of Valencia parts of the demonstration erupted into clashes with police. Security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, and around 30 people managed to enter the emblematic City of Arts and Sciences building before they were removed by police.

Participants spoke about the everyday impact of soaring rents. Library worker Marcos Sains, 26, from Madrid said he used to share a two-bedroom flat with friends for €900 a month, but now a single room can cost up to €1,000 — roughly half the average monthly wage in the capital. Javier, a 31-year-old solar-panel fitter, said protesters were demanding a basic right to decent housing, stability and living conditions, and that he spends half his income on a small room.

One of the spokespeople for the Tenants’ Union, Valeria Raku, said the movement on the streets felt energized in a way it had not for years. She said: "There is a new energy on the streets that we have not seen for a long time, and eight days of civic power can achieve more than eight years of a progressive government. Now the real politics begins, which has always belonged to the citizens and is finally returning to the streets."

The unrest has also raised immediate political questions. Spanish media reported on Friday that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is considering calling snap elections in November after parliament rejected the housing laws; he will reportedly monitor the scale of Saturday’s mobilizations before making a final decision.

Photo: El Pais)