Spain's housing crisis worsens: Congress rejects reforms triggering massive demonstrations across the country

Spain's housing crisis continues to rage. Congress recently rejected the housing reform bill proposed by the left-wing government, sparking public outrage across the country. Large-scale demonstrations broke out in nearly 50 cities on the 3rd. More than 70,000 people in the capital Madrid took to the streets to demand housing justice.

Spain's housing crisis has been going on for a long time. Large-scale nationwide demonstrations broke out in 2024 and 2025. However, this wave of protests has lasted for more than a week. Regardless of the number of participants, the cities mobilized, and the length of time, it is the largest wave since the COVID-19 epidemic.

The trigger for this crisis originated on September 23, when an 87-year-old retired woman living in Madrid, Marie Carmen. Maricarmen Abascal was forcibly evicted from the apartment where she had lived for 70 years because she could not afford to pay the rent that had been doubled by her corporate landlord, triggering long-standing public dissatisfaction.

In order to calm public anger, the left-wing coalition government led by Spanish Socialist Labor Party (PSOE) Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urgently drafted two housing reform laws, which include measures such as suspending the eviction of vulnerable tenants until 2030, automatically renewing leases, increasing taxes on tourist short-term rental apartments, and restricting speculative home purchase investment funds commonly known as "vulture funds."

However, when the bill was voted on in Congress on the 2nd, it was jointly opposed by the main conservative opposition party "People's Party" (PP), the far-right "Voice of the People" (Vox), and the "Junts per Catalunya" party.

The Tenants Union in the capital Madrid used the slogan and demands of "launch a general strike, halve rent, and collect vulture funds" to call on people to take to the streets and roar. The demonstrators set out in four groups and finally marched to Plaza de Cibeles, where the Madrid City Council is located.

Although the demonstrators were mainly young people, including students in their 20s and young people in their 30s and 40s, there were also many middle-aged and elderly people and whole families participating in the demonstrations.

Blas, a 33-year-old office worker, told Central News Agency that he has an ordinary job and earns a salary that is similar to the average salary in Spain. He can only afford one room and has to share a house with others because the rent has been rising. He has to move frequently. Like many Spaniards, he was evicted from his residence because he could not pay the rent.

Blas pointed out that many people blame foreigners and immigrants for the uncontrolled rise in rents, which is unjust hate speech. He believes that the rental problem in Spain is that "the demand for housing is increasing day by day, but there is a lack of sufficient public housing and reasonable rents."

Azalea, a 27-year-old journalist, told the Central News Agency that the purpose of this march is to re-promote and redefine "the meaning of home." The houses that should be used by the people to live in are now being sold to private consortiums, vulture funds, and corporate landlords. She hopes to use the march to voice her voice to change society's thinking and "turn housing back into a public and affordable right for all people."

Monica, a 26-year-old social worker, and Laura, a 23-year-old information engineer, mentioned that the average monthly salary of Spaniards is 1,200 euros, and the average rent of a house is also 1,200 euros. "These figures are obviously not correct."

They believe that "the Spanish housing market is completely unrealistic." Salaries have not increased, but rents and housing prices have continued to rise. Not only young people, but also many older people cannot afford to pay rent or buy a house.

In addition to the demonstrations, hundreds of demonstrators who camped in the Puerta del Sol in the city center also continued to stay. In the past two days, right-wingers and far-right elements have continued to come to incite and cause conflicts.

According to the Spanish Radio and Television Company (RTVE), in the face of the failure of legislative reform, Prime Minister Sanchez will discuss with cabinet members today whether to advance the next congressional election scheduled to be held next year to November 29. Spain’s housing crisis has evolved from a livelihood and economic problem to a catalyst for political shock.