{"id":31976,"date":"2026-10-03T14:20:35","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T14:20:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=31976"},"modified":"2026-10-03T14:20:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T14:20:35","slug":"madrid-housing-protests-50-cities-70000-protesters-spains-housing-crisis-fuels-nationwide-anger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=31976","title":{"rendered":"Madrid Housing Protests: 50 cities, 70,000 protesters: Spain\u2019s housing crisis fuels nationwide anger"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134661081,imgsize-313478,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/protest-against-the-housing-crisis-in-madrid.jpg\" alt=\"50 cities, 70,000 protesters: Spain\u2019s housing crisis fuels nationwide anger\" title=\"Protesters demonstrate demanding political action to stop evictions and alleviate the housing crisis, in Madrid, Spain (Picture credit: Reuters)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Protesters demonstrate demanding political action to stop evictions and alleviate the housing crisis, in Madrid, Spain (Picture credit: Reuters)\">Protesters demonstrate demanding political action to stop evictions and alleviate the housing crisis, in Madrid, Spain (Picture credit: Reuters)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid and other Spanish cities on Saturday, stepping up demands for action on the country&#8217;s housing crisis after parliament rejected government measures aimed at protecting renters and addressing rising housing costs.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>The protests followed Friday&#8217;s defeat of the emergency measures, which had been introduced after the eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid triggered widespread public anger. Some protesters in Madrid carried posters calling for a general strike.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>Around 70,000 people participated in the Madrid demonstration, according to the Spanish government. Protests were also held in around 50 other cities.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"6\"\/>&#8220;It&#8217;s a shame,&#8221; said Nando de Anguulo, 26, who joined the Madrid protest.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>&#8220;It only proves that it is us the people who have to adapt to the political parties, and not the politicians to what the people want, and this can&#8217;t go on like that&#8221;, Angulo added, as quoted by Reuters.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"14\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><b>Housing measures rejected in parliament<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"16\"\/>The government measures included provisions aimed at preventing the eviction of vulnerable people, discouraging property speculation and providing tax incentives to encourage renting.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"18\"\/>A second decree sought to make residential leases automatically renewable by tenants, according to news agency AP.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>The measures were rejected after the Catalan separatist party Junts voted against them, alongside the centre-right Popular Party and far-right Vox. Other smaller parties also opposed the second decree.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"23\"\/>Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez had appealed to lawmakers to approve the measures, describing them as necessary during a five-hour parliamentary debate.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"25\"\/>\u201cWhat is behind these decrees is the desire to instill order and a sense of humanity in a market that if we do not rein it in will destroy our society,\u201d S\u00e1nchez said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"28\"\/>\u201cWhat is behind these decrees is the desire to instill order and a sense of humanity in a market that if we do not rein it in will destroy our society,\u201d S\u00e1nchez said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"30\"\/>S\u00e1nchez concluded his appeal by telling lawmakers: \u201cDo the right thing, or history will judge you, and sooner than you think\u201d.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"32\"\/>The defeat has also triggered speculation in Spanish media that S\u00e1nchez could call an early election in November, ahead of the election scheduled for next year.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"35\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><b>Rent costs have nearly doubled in a decade<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"37\"\/>The protests have highlighted the wider pressure on Spain&#8217;s housing market, where rents have risen sharply over the past decade.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"39\"\/>The average rent in Spain has almost doubled in the past 10 years, while the average price per square metre increased from 8.20 euros in 2016 to 15.1 euros this year, according to real estate website Idealista.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"41\"\/>Spain&#8217;s government has said 26 per cent of people who rent spend an average of 40 per cent of their income on rent and utilities, compared with an EU average of 18 per cent of renters.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"44\"\/>Government-owned rental housing accounts for less than 2 per cent of Spain&#8217;s available housing stock, compared with an EU average of 8 per cent.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"46\"\/>The housing crisis has particularly affected people who cannot afford to buy homes and are dependent on the country&#8217;s relatively limited rental market.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"48\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><b>Eviction of 87-year-old woman sparks protests<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"50\"\/>The latest wave of demonstrations followed the eviction of Mar\u00eda del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who had lived in her Madrid home for seven decades.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"53\"\/>Around 1,000 protesters had spent the previous week camping at Madrid&#8217;s Puerta del Sol, demanding stronger protections for tenants.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"55\"\/>The company that evicted Abascal eventually agreed to allow her to return to the apartment following public and political pressure. She remained in hospital after being removed from her home on a stretcher, while her lawyer said she was happy to know she would be able to return.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"58\"\/>The eviction turned Abascal into a symbol of the campaign against rising housing costs, with protesters carrying signs such as &#8220;Not even one more Maricarmen!&#8221;<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"60\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><b>Protests spread beyond Madrid<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"62\"\/>Saturday&#8217;s demonstrations were largely peaceful, although clashes were reported in Valencia, where police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse protesters.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"65\"\/>About 30 protesters entered the City of Arts and Sciences, a landmark cultural complex, before being removed by police. Demonstrations elsewhere were peaceful.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"67\"\/>The renters association Sindicato de Inquilinas, which has led calls for action, had urged people to join Saturday&#8217;s demonstrations and was also pushing for a general strike.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"69\"\/>The group and other protesters have blamed property speculators for rising prices and have called for stronger measures to protect tenants.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"71\"\/>The government now faces the choice of pursuing fresh legislation after the defeat of its emergency measures or considering an early election, with Spanish media reporting that S\u00e1nchez could be weighing the latter option.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/real-estate\/news\/50-cities-70000-protesters-spains-housing-crisis-fuels-nationwide-anger\/articleshow\/134660989.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Protesters demonstrate demanding political action to stop evictions and alleviate the housing crisis, in Madrid, Spain (Picture credit: Reuters) Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid and other Spanish cities on Saturday, stepping up demands for action on the country&#8217;s housing crisis after parliament rejected government measures aimed at protecting renters 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demonstrate demanding political action to stop evictions and alleviate the housing crisis, in Madrid, Spain (Picture credit: Reuters) Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid and other Spanish cities on Saturday, stepping up demands for action on the country&#8217;s housing crisis after parliament rejected government measures aimed at protecting renters [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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