Workers across Spain have taken to the streets en masse amid the housing crisis, staging marches and pickets despite stormy weather in many regions of the country.
This is reported by DW.
It is the first general strike in Spain in the past 14 years.
The symbol of this crisis has become the story of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from Madrid, who was evicted from her home and then died. These events also prompted the calling of snap elections, which are due to take place on 29 November.
The government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who represents left-wing political forces, tried to push through parliament laws intended to ease the situation for tenants, but opposition parties blocked these initiatives.
Lacking sufficient powers to pass the necessary laws, Sánchez called snap elections in the hope of securing broader support.
“We will not stop until we fundamentally change the housing model in this country — so that housing serves as a place for people to live, rather than being a tool in the interests of a minority (landlords),” said Alicia del Río, spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants’ Union.
According to estimates by the central bank, the country is facing a housing shortfall of around 750,000 units. It is expected that by 2028 this figure will exceed one million.
As fewer and fewer people and families can afford to buy their own home, the number of renters in the country has risen sharply. According to Spain’s Youth Council, the average rent is €1,176. This is equivalent to 99% of a young person’s average wage.
Although most protest actions appear to be peaceful, strikers near the “Mercamadrid” (Mercamadrid) wholesale market in Madrid said police used pepper spray against the crowd. As a result, at least 13 people sought medical assistance.
- The general strike began the day after railway workers called a strike over two major fatal disasters that occurred this year. As a result, the issue of ageing infrastructure has become one of the key topics of the upcoming parliamentary elections.