Spain sees widespread disruption in first general strike for 14 years

A general strike over Spain's housing crisis began on Wednesday, impacting millions of commuters weeks before a snap election. Unions reported a high level of participation, marking the first nationwide 24-hour stoppage since 2012, and aimed to pressure the government on wages and public services. While business leaders downplayed the strike's scale, the demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona were seen as a gauge of public discontent ahead of the November 29 election.

The strike involved major transportation hubs and logistics centers across Spain, causing traffic jams, but most shops remained open. In Madrid, the metro reported a high success rate with 93 percent of trains running, though passenger numbers dropped by 50 percent. Barcelona's metro and bus networks were offline until late afternoon due to minimum service requirements.

The main unions called the strike following a series of nationwide protests sparked by the eviction of an 87-year-old Madrid pensioner, with demands for more public housing, eviction bans for vulnerable tenants, and rent controls.