Spain: Massive protests after housing bills voted down
Large crowds demonstrated in Madrid and around 50 other Spanish cities on Saturday, calling for more affordable housing. Madrid turnout estimates differed sharply: police counted about 70,000 people, while organizers said roughly 500,000 attended.
The rallies followed parliament’s narrow rejection on Friday of two emergency proposals from Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government. The measures included extending rental agreements automatically and limiting evictions of vulnerable tenants.
The vote added to anger during a week of demonstrations sparked by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascalin from her home in Madrid. A Tenants’ Union spokesperson said the protests had brought a renewed sense of public momentum.
In Valencia, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets. Some demonstrators entered the city’s Arts and Sciences complex before police removed them.
The demonstrations underscore growing pressure over Spain’s increasingly costly housing market. The article does not report any new government measures following the parliamentary defeat.
Key points
- Protests for affordable housing took place in Madrid and around 50 other Spanish cities.
- Parliament rejected proposals for automatic rental renewals and limits on some evictions.
- Police used tear gas and rubber bullets during protests in Valencia.