General strike in Spain. The streets are chaotic, there are many detained and injured

4 million workers, who constitute one fifth of the total workforce in Spain, went on a general strike for the first time in 14 years yesterday to protest housing accessibility and high rents, which have become one of the country's biggest problems.

Spain's two largest labor unions, UGT and CCOO, representing more than 1 million employees in total, and tenant associations reacting to increasing rents and evictions, fully support the strike.

During the strike, which started shortly before the early general elections to be held on November 29, clashes broke out between the police and demonstrators, especially after the marches in the capital Madrid and Barcelona.

According to the latest information, 73 people were detained throughout the country and at least 25 people were injured.

UGT and CCOO reported that participation in the strike was higher in Cantabria, Catalonia and Andalusia, the coastal regions where the housing problem is most intense, that work was stopped at the Seat factory in Martorell and the Volkswagen factory in Navarra, and that even Andalusia's regional television channel Canal Sur did not broadcast due to the strike.

Alicia del Rio, Spokesperson of the Madrid Tenants' Union, told the press, "It is a historic day. Hundreds of people are demonstrating on the streets in all cities today. They are calling for the right to housing and a reasonable wage despite the high cost of living. These demands are against all governments, employers, and profiteers, and no government can stand against the power of the people." he said.

According to the data of the Bank of Spain, there is a housing deficit of approximately 750 thousand in the country and this figure is expected to exceed 1 million by 2028.

Data from the Spanish Youth Council shows that the average rental price in the country, 1,176 euros, corresponds to approximately 98.7 percent of the average monthly salary of a young worker.

On the other hand, the Spanish Confederation of Employers and Industrialists (CEOE) said, "Strike participation is at a low level in most regions and sectors, but we can say that it is slightly higher in regions where unions are concentrated." made the statement.