Spain Faces Nationwide General Strike on 11 November as Housing Crisis Sparks Mass Protests

Spain is set to embark on a nationwide 24-hour general strike on Wednesday, 11 November, as mounting frustration over escalating rents, a severe housing shortage, and evictions intensifies one of the most significant waves of social unrest the country has witnessed in recent years. The strike, organized by Spain's two largest trade union confederations, Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and UGT, seeks to address concerns surrounding affordable housing, rent controls, and the enhancement of public housing, alongside demands for increased wages, better working conditions, and fortified employment rights.

This mobilization comes in the wake of the demise of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal, widely known as Maricarmen, whose eviction from her Madrid apartment became a potent symbol representing Spain's deteriorating housing crisis. Maricarmen had resided in her home for over seven decades, paying roughly €500 per month in rent.

Following the purchase of the property by a real estate firm, she was confronted with steep rental hikes, reportedly soaring up to €2,500. On September 23, after three failed eviction attempts, she was removed from the apartment using a stretcher and transported to a hospital. Although the property company ultimately consented to allow her to return under a different tenancy arrangement, Maricarmen passed away in the hospital on October 7, with the cause of death not officially disclosed.

Her treatment ignited widespread demonstrations, with protesters establishing an encampment in Madrid's Puerta del Sol and similar actions proliferating across other Spanish cities. The unrest escalated further after Congress refused to approve government proposals aimed at bolstering tenant protections and tackling rising housing expenses.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez subsequently announced early general elections for November 29, placing the housing crisis at the forefront of Spain's political discourse. The general strike is scheduled to occur just two days prior to the official election campaign's commencement. Decades of housing activism in Spain can be traced back to the 2008 financial crisis, when countless families faced mortgage defaults, repossessions, and evictions.

The Platform for People Affected by Mortgages (PAH), founded in 2009, orchestrated campaigns to safeguard households threatened with losing their homes. As institutional investors grew their presence in Spain's rental market, housing activism gradually pivoted towards tenants grappling with soaring rents and precarious tenancies.

Tenant unions, such as the Madrid Tenants' Union, have since forged networks that connect neighborhood organizations with the broader labor movement. The impending strike marks a substantial milestone in this relationship, merging workplace and housing demands into a coordinated national mobilization. Unions are advocating for measures to boost affordable housing, cap exorbitant rental fees, and elevate wages so that working families can afford essential living costs.

The November stoppage will be the first nationwide general strike jointly endorsed by CCOO and UGT since 2012. With Spain approaching a general election, the action is anticipated to gauge the potency of both organized labor and the burgeoning housing movement. For activists, the paramount message is unequivocal: affordable housing has become inextricably linked to wages, employment security, and the overarching cost-of-living crisis.