OMM Newsroom
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across Spain during a nationwide general strike against rising living costs and the housing crisis, AnewZ reported. Protesters and police clashed in Barcelona. It was the country’s first general strike in 14 years.
The strike, organized by Spain’s two main trade unions, UGT and CC OO, caused widespread disruption to transport and public services on Wednesday. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 29.
About 120,000 people joined demonstrations in Madrid and more than 50,000 in Barcelona. Tensions escalated in Barcelona after masked people set fire to rubbish bins and smashed shop windows.
Police used tear gas. The Interior Ministry said dozens of people had been detained following incidents across the country.
The strike was prompted by public anger over housing affordability and rising living costs. Rents have risen significantly in Spain’s major cities.
Public discontent grew further in September after 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid apartment, where she had lived for seven decades. She died in hospital several weeks later.
According to property portal Idealista, the average monthly rent for a 50-square-meter apartment in Madrid reached 1,170 euros ($1,295) in October. Spain’s average gross monthly salary is about 2,460 euros ($2,718).
Rent for such an apartment takes up about half of the average gross salary, far exceeding the 30% threshold widely used by housing affordability experts.
Wednesday’s demonstrations also disrupted traffic on major roads around Madrid and Barcelona. Reports said the offices of real estate agencies had been attacked.
Trade union leaders described participation in the strike as high. UGT leader Pepe Alvarez called turnout “massive,” while CC OO leader Unai Sordo said it was “very significant.”
Strike adds to political pressure ahead of elections
The demonstrations come at a politically sensitive time for Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. He called early parliamentary elections last month after lawmakers rejected housing reforms proposed by members of parliament.
Sanchez and members of his government expressed support for the strike and urged workers to demand more affordable housing. Sanchez wrote on social media: “Your eight-hour working day. Your pension. Your public healthcare… These were achieved through collective struggle.” He highlighted the role of earlier workers’ movements in securing labor rights.
The opposition conservative People’s Party (PP) accused the government of using the demonstrations to gain political advantage ahead of the elections.
PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo called the general strike “nonsense” and criticized the trade unions. Party spokesman Miguel Tellado alleged that the government was using the protests to influence voters.
The PP is leading in opinion polls ahead of the November 29 vote. Housing affordability and the cost of living have become key election issues.
The strike reflects growing public discontent over economic pressures and puts housing policy at the center of political debate in Spain as voters prepare to go to the polls.
