Arabic version: احتجاجات الإسكان في إسبانيا عقب إسقاط التدابير الطارئة

According to BBC News, tens of thousands of people protested across Spain on Saturday after the government failed to pass emergency housing legislation aimed at increasing protections for tenants. About 50 marches took place in cities including Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona.

The proposals from Pedro Sánchez’s leftist coalition government followed public anger over the September eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, who could not afford a sharp rent increase. Protesters have demanded lower rents, an end to evictions and a ban on investment funds, described by the government as “vulture funds”, buying property.

In Madrid, the Tenants’ Union estimated 500,000 people joined the demonstration, while officials put the figure at 70,000. Demonstrators carried banners and chanted, while some had camped for days in Puerta del Sol. The union said the rejection of the proposed legislation “exacerbates the housing crisis which is costing the working class their lives” and called for a general strike.

In Valencia, some protesters clashed with police near the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, where a real estate summit was being held. Spanish media reported that people removed barriers and threw objects, while police responded with rubber bullets. RTVE said nine police officers were injured and five people were arrested.

Congress rejected one decree by 178 votes to 172 and a second by 184 to 166. The measures included suspending evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, extending some rental leases, raising taxes for tourist apartments and restricting purchases by “vulture funds”. The Bank of Spain estimates the country is short of 700,000 homes, while INE said house prices rose 12.2% in the year to the second quarter of 2026.