Millions of Spanish Workers Strike Over Soaring Housing Costs Ahead of Election

Millions of Spanish workers staged a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday to protest soaring housing costs, shutting down public transport and blocking major industrial hubs three weeks before a national election.

The nationwide walkout, the country's first general strike in 14 years, disrupted ports, factories, waste collection and schools across the eurozone's fourth-largest economy.

Voters go to the polls on Nov. 29 after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election when parliament rejected his emergency housing package.

"It's extremely important to remind people that we, the workers — who are also renters or who also pay mortgages — are the ones with the power to halt production and bring the economy to a standstill," said Sandra Mora, a spokesperson for the Tenants' Union.

Average rent in Spain has almost doubled over the past 10 years, according to union figures. In Madrid, an average 50-square-meter apartment cost 1,170 euros a month in October, consuming nearly half the average gross salary.

Public anger mounted in September following the televised eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old Madrid resident who died several weeks later.

Housing groups and trade unions demanded lower rents, automatic lease renewals, a crackdown on real estate speculation and the removal of tourist apartments from the rental market.

"There is one issue that is dividing the country: the struggle to access housing," said Unai Sordo, secretary general of the CCOO union.

The UGT and CCOO unions reported participation rates of 90 percent in the automotive and shipping sectors, 85 percent in meat processing and 82 percent in waste collection.

The Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations disputed those figures, saying in a statement that participation was low and uneven across most industries.

Demonstrators burned tires on roads in Barcelona and clashed with police outside Madrid's main wholesale market. Spain's interior ministry reported dozens of arrests across the country.

In Barcelona, some protesters smashed shop windows, lit fires in trash bins and threw fireworks at police, according to the Times of India.

"This is not a strike against anyone, but rather one in favour of a common response from all levels of government to a real problem, which is access to housing," said Mr. Sánchez.

Conservative opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo of the Popular Party called the walkout a mistake, accusing the government of exploiting the strike for political advantage ahead of the vote.

Mr. Sánchez's Socialist Party continues to trail in opinion polls as his campaign faces headwinds following a high-speed train collision last month that killed 69 people.

Voters will decide the composition of Spain's next government on Nov. 29, with opinion polls suggesting conservative and far-right parties could secure a parliamentary majority.