Protests Fill Spanish Streets After Lawmakers Defeat Rent Decrees
Spanish tenant groups rallied across the country after parliament blocked measures to cap rents and freeze evictions.
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators marched through Madrid and about 50 other Spanish cities on Saturday to demand affordable housing. The rallies followed a parliamentary vote on Friday that rejected emergency government decrees designed to protect tenants.
The Madrid Tenants Union estimated that 500,000 people took part in the capital's demonstration. Government officials put the turnout in Madrid at roughly 70,000 people. Demonstrators carried banners urging rent reductions and called for a general strike.
The coalition government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had introduced the decree laws following weeks of protests. Those demonstrations were triggered by the televised eviction of 87-year-old Maria del Carmen Abascal from her Madrid apartment.
The first decree proposed extending a ban on evictions for vulnerable tenants until 2030. It also sought to restrict property purchases by investment funds and provide tax incentives for rental supply. Lawmakers voted against it 178 to 172.
A second decree proposed automatic contract renewals for residential tenants. Parliament voted down that text 184 to 166. The conservative People's Party, the far-right Vox, and the Catalan pro-independence party Junts united to defeat both measures.
Housing prices have climbed steadily across Spain over the past decade. Real estate data indicates average rental costs per square meter have nearly doubled since 2016. Tenant groups argue that market speculation and tourist apartments have placed rents beyond the reach of workers.
Most demonstrations across the country remained peaceful on Saturday. In Valencia, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas after dozens of demonstrators entered an arts complex hosting a property event. Heavy rain forced organizers to postpone planned rallies in Barcelona.
Tenant organizations said they plan to continue street actions across the country in the coming days. Political observers in Spain said Sanchez may decide within days whether to call early elections following the legislative defeat.
