Spain faces fresh housing protests after parliament rejects tenant protections

Madrid and other Spanish cities are set to witness new housing protests today, following the rejection of tenant protection measures by parliament on Monday. The government introduced the measures after a series of nationwide protests, sparked by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from the apartment she had occupied for nearly seven decades.

This defeat marks another political setback for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who is now facing questions about the survival of his minority government until the next general election in 2027.

Catalan separatist party Junts, whose support was crucial to approve the two decrees, voted against them, citing their lack of rigor. In response to the vote, the leader of the main opposition conservative Popular Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, urged Sánchez to "call elections as soon as possible." After eight years in power, Sanchez now has neither the streets nor parliament on his side, according to Nunez Feijoo.

Recent opinion polls have shown the opposition Popular Party leading the Socialists. The Tenants’ Union, which has been coordinating the protests, has called for demonstrations in over 50 cities today. Demonstrators are expected to gather in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, one of the city's main tourist squares, and then march to Plaza de Cibeles in central Madrid.

The defeated measures aimed to automatically renew rental contracts when they expired and restrict the eviction of vulnerable tenants. They also targeted "vulture funds" – investment firms that purchase properties at low prices to seek higher returns. Housing has long been a top concern for Spaniards, as supply consistently falls short of demand, leading to soaring rents and house prices.

Average rents in Spain have nearly doubled over the past decade, while home prices have risen by about 90 percent, according to real estate website Idealista.

The eviction of Maricarmen Abascal catalyzed long-standing anger about skyrocketing housing costs. She was forced to leave the Madrid apartment she had lived in for nearly seven decades after its new owners, an investment company, sought to increase her rent by 275 percent. The backlash led to a deal allowing her to return to the flat at a significantly reduced rent.