Spain housing protests continue after parliament rejects affordability measures
Protests continue across Spain over soaring rents and evictions after parliament rejected emergency housing measures, with thousands marching in Madrid and other cities.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Protests over Spain's housing crisis have continued across the country after parliament rejected two emergency measures aimed at making homes more affordable. Thousands of people marched in Madrid and in more than 50 other towns and cities. In the capital, protesters camped overnight in Puerta del Sol and more mass demonstrations were expected. Most protests were peaceful, but in Valencia some demonstrators clashed with police. Police used rubber bullets during some protests and arrested three members of a far-right group.
The latest wave of anger was triggered by the eviction of 87-year-old María Carmen Abascal from her Madrid home. She had lived there for decades and could not afford a rent increase demanded by the investment fund that bought her apartment. Her eviction was later reversed, but protesters stayed on the streets. Rents in Spain have risen by 80% in a decade, and affordable homes are increasingly hard to find, especially in Madrid and Barcelona. On average, there are three evictions a day in Madrid.
The government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had proposed stronger protection for vulnerable tenants, a ban on evictions for vulnerable tenants until 2030, two-year extensions on current rental contracts, tighter rules on some short-term rentals and measures to curb property speculation. It also wanted to restrict some rent increases and stop so-called vulture funds from buying property for investment. But the minority government could not find enough support. Both proposals were voted down in parliament after opposition parties voted against them.
Protesters are demanding rent caps, forced reductions in rents, an end to evictions and automatic renewal of rental contracts. They say the balance of power should shift towards tenants and away from landlords. Campaigners want a general strike in the coming weeks to increase pressure on the political class. In light of the parliamentary defeat, they say drastic measures look unlikely.
The defeat has left Sánchez's minority government under pressure. There is mounting speculation that he may call an early election. Some reports suggest he could seek to capitalise on public discontent, and that an election could change the government. For now, protests are continuing, with more demonstrations planned in Spain.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 3 channels | |||
| Parliament rejected two emergency housing affordability measures. | Reported by Sky News | ||
| The government sought stronger protections for vulnerable tenants, tighter rules on some short-term rentals, and measures to curb property speculation. | Reported by Channel 4 | ||
| Reported by a few · 2 channels | |||
| Protests intensified after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from a Madrid home she had lived in for decades. | Not reported by Channel 4 | ||
| Only on one channel | |||
| Police used rubber bullets during some protests and arrested three members of a far-right group. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Channel 4 | |
| Rents in Spain rose by 80% over a decade. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Some demonstrators clashed with police in Valencia during otherwise peaceful protests. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Sky News | |
| There was speculation that Pedro Sánchez might call early elections. | Reported by BBC News | Not reported by Channel 4 | Not reported by Sky News |
| Thousands of people protested across Spanish cities and stayed out well into the night. | Not reported by BBC News | Not reported by Channel 4 | Reported by Sky News |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC coverage framed the story around the political fallout for Pedro Sánchez and the risk of a snap election. It gave detailed correspondent reports from Puerta del Sol, tenant demands and the eviction that triggered the protests, but did not mention the clashes in Valencia or the police use of rubber bullets and arrests.
- “Mass demonstrations are planned in cities across Spain to demand action on the country's housing crisis.”
- “The anger has been fuelled very much by Congress's rejection yesterday of those measures presented by the government of Pedro Sánchez to try and tackle the crisis and try and protect tenants more when they are renting properties.”
- “They want to see a general strike in the coming weeks to try and pressure further for these kinds of measures to be taken.”
Channel 4 led with the scale of the marches and the eviction story, including the 87-year-old woman being removed on a stretcher. It was the only channel to report the Valencia clashes and to give detailed figures on rent rises and evictions. It also noted the reversal of the eviction and the opposition vote against the bills.
- “Even after their demands were rejected, they still march, chanting, the fight is in the streets, not in parliament.”
- “Rents in Spain have increased by 80% in a decade.”
- “On average, there are three evictions a day in Madrid, but one has resonated with the nation and exposed a housing system that many accuse of failing them.”
Sky News kept its reports brief and focused on the late-night protests, police tactics and arrests. It framed the parliamentary failure as opposition politicians failing to agree on a solution, rather than only as a defeat for the government.
- “Thousands have taken to the streets of cities across Spain, staying out well into the night to demand the government bring in better protection for people who rent their homes.”
- “Police used rubber bullets during some of the protests and arrested three members of a far-right group.”
- “It comes after opposition politicians failed to agree on a solution for the country's deepening housing crisis.”
Broadcast Timeline
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