WATCH: Hundreds of thousands flood Madrid streets in general strike protest after Pedro Sanchez’s housing reforms blocked in Congress

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid and other Spanish cities to protest against the government's housing reforms being blocked in Congress. According to Euronews, around 500,000 people participated in the demonstrations in Madrid, while the authorities estimated the number at around 70,000. The protests, which were peaceful and had a visible police presence, were sparked by the rejection of two government decrees aimed at giving tenants stronger protection.

The Tenants' Union, which coordinated the protests, is demanding a 50% cut in rents, open-ended contracts, and the expropriation of homes from vulture funds. Their spokesperson, Valeria Racu, stated that there is still no date for a general strike, which is being negotiated with other organisations. The president of the employers' confederation CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, respects the protests but warned that he will take action if a general strike is called, considering it "illegal".

The protests were triggered by the rejection of a law that aimed to provide greater relief measures for tenants. The law was prompted by the case of an 87-year-old woman who was evicted from her home following a 275% rent increase, according to Le Monde English. The demonstrations were held in around 50 cities across Spain, with protesters carrying placards reading "General strike" and chanting slogans such as "Down with rentierism".

Brief written by urgent.news from The Olive Press, Euronews, Le Monde English — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.