Tens of thousands protest in Spain after failed housing reforms
Tens of thousands of protesters rallied across Spain to demand affordable housing reforms following the parliament's rejection of emergency relief decrees. The movement, sparked by the eviction of an elderly pensioner, signals growing public frustration with the government's handling of the housing crisis.
Why it matters
The protests highlight a significant political crisis in Spain regarding the cost of living and the government's inability to pass housing legislation.
Latest demonstrations deepen a days-long crisis after parliament struck down two affordable housing decrees.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Demonstrating in Madrid to demand political action to stop evictions and alleviate the housing crisis, October 3, 2026 [Juan Barbosa/Reuters] By AFP and Reuters Published On 3 Oct 2026 3 Oct 2026 Tens of thousands of people are rallying across Spain to demand affordable housing measures, the day after members of parliament rejected an emergency relief package for tenants.
Demonstrators took to the streets in the capital, Madrid, and about 50 other cities on Saturday, calling for a general strike and reforms to address the country’s increasingly expensive housing market.
On Friday, the Spanish parliament voted down two decrees proposed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s minority left-wing government that intended to quell the crisis.
Also covering this story
7 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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