Thousands of demonstrators filled streets in cities including Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia on Saturday as part of roughly 50 planned marches across Spain. The nationwide unrest comes as citizens call for urgent action to address the country’s deepening housing crisis and improve protections for tenants.
In Valencia, where demonstrations were already underway, a spokesperson for the local Tenants’ Union noted, “There is a lot of anger in the streets.” Reports from the city confirmed that clashes broke out between some protesters and police officers during the events.
The mobilization was ignited by public outrage over the recent eviction of an 87-year-old woman, who was forced from her home last month after she could no longer afford a steep increase in rent. Protesters are currently demanding comprehensive reforms, specifically seeking lower rents, a complete end to evictions, and a government-imposed ban on property purchases by investment firms—which the administration has labeled “vulture funds.”
This surge in public pressure follows the defeat of emergency housing measures proposed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s leftist coalition government on Friday. The administration, comprised of the Socialist party and the Sumar alliance, currently lacks a majority in parliament. Following the legislative failure, speculation is mounting regarding whether the government might trigger an early general election before the originally scheduled date next summer.
