Spain: Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Spain in a powerful nationwide demonstration against skyrocketing rents, housing speculation, and the growing inaccessibility of affordable homes.
Organizers reported that nearly 150,000 people marched through central Madrid, with coordinated protests erupting in over 40 cities, from Málaga on the Costa del Sol to Vigo in the Atlantic northwest.
Chants of ‘End the housing racket’ and ‘Landlords are guilty, the government is responsible’ echoed through city streets, reflecting mounting anger over what many consider a deepening housing crisis.
According to the tenants’ union, 1.4 million Spanish households now spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent, 200,000 more families than a decade ago.
Housing affordability has become Spain’s top social concern, driven by property speculation and the expansion of tourist apartments, which have pushed rental prices beyond reach for the average citizen.
In Madrid alone, at least 15,000 illegal tourist apartments are estimated to be operating. Barcelona’s city council has already announced it will not renew the licenses of 10,000 tourist apartments when they expire in 2028.
What began as a crisis in tourist-heavy areas like the Balearic and Canary Islands has spread nationwide, triggering protests in Valencia, Seville, Santiago de Compostela, San Sebastián, and more.
In the Balearics, the average rent for a small apartment has surged by 40 percent in just five years, reaching €1,400 a month.
The country’s youth have borne the brunt of the crisis. A recent report by the Spanish Youth Council revealed that 85 percent of Spaniards under the age of 30 still live with their parents due to the lack of affordable housing options.
In Barcelona, where rents have surged 70 percent over the past decade while salaries have risen just 17.5 percent, thousands gathered in Plaça d’Espanya demanding immediate reforms.
Their demands included a 50 percent reduction in rent, indefinite leases, and robust action against speculative property practices.
