Mass Protests Sweep Spain as Citizens Demand Action on Housing Crisis

Nationwide Demonstrations Demand Urgent Housing Reform

Thousands of protesters filled the streets of 40 Spanish cities on Saturday, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s housing rights movement. Under the slogan “Let’s end the housing business,” demonstrators demanded immediate government action to address what they describe as a deepening housing crisis.

Organized by a coalition of tenants' associations, neighborhood groups, and social rights organizations, the protests were the first to be held simultaneously nationwide since the wave of anti-eviction demonstrations a decade ago.

“Fear has changed sides,” one organizer declared. “We’re no longer asking for change — we are organised, and we have a plan to confront rentierism.”

In major cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Bilbao, streets turned orange and green — the signature colors of the movement. Protesters marched to highlight rent inflation, housing scarcity, and rising evictions, describing the situation as a manufactured crisis driven by speculation and profit.

Protest Roots in Canary Islands’ Housing and Tourism Debate

The current wave of mobilization traces back to last year’s protests in the Canary Islands, where locals rallied against mass tourism and the lack of affordable housing. The campaign quickly spread across the country, with slogans such as “Malaga to live, not to survive” echoing the frustration of residents in tourist-heavy regions.

In Tenerife, the Tenants' Union warned that “housing has become a luxury beyond the reach of most families.” According to activist collectives, rental prices have surged by more than 18% nationwide in just two years. In some touristic areas like Ibiza, rent now exceeds the average local salary, while cities like Cáceres have seen rental increases of up to 27% at the provincial level.

A Crisis Fueled by Speculation and Tourism

Protesters accuse the government of enabling a commodified housing model that prioritizes short-term rental profits and real estate speculation over citizens' rights.

“The city model is commercialized. Our neighborhoods are being hollowed out for tourism profits,” said the group ‘València no està en Venda’ (Valencia is not for sale).

In island regions like the Balearics and the Canaries, the housing emergency is compounded by limited space and intense tourism development. Activists argue that the surge in vacation rentals and luxury developments is displacing residents and eroding communities.

“We’re facing an unprecedented housing emergency: unaffordable rents, illegal evictions, and speculative practices are making housing inaccessible to ordinary people,” said a Canary Islands-based collective earlier this year.

Protesters' Demands: Rent Caps, Housing Rehabilitation, and Eviction Bans

Organizers of Saturday’s protests have laid out a clear list of demands:

• Immediate reduction in rental prices, up to 50% in some cases

• Renovation and use of Spain’s estimated 3.8 million vacant homes

• A ban on evictions targeting vulnerable families

The call for a decentralized protest structure aimed to paralyze the state through unified, simultaneous action across the country. “This is just the beginning,” said one demonstrator. “We’re entering a new phase of resistance.”

Government Acknowledges ‘Social Emergency’ as Protests Mount

While the Spanish government has not issued an official response to the protests, it previously acknowledged that at least 600,000 additional housing units are urgently needed to address what it now calls “a social emergency.”

Despite some recent policy efforts to limit rental inflation, campaigners argue that the measures are insufficient and often unenforced at the local level. With rising public pressure, the protests may mark a turning point in Spain’s long-standing struggle over the right to housing.

As discontent mounts over years of stagnant reform, Saturday’s demonstrations signal a renewed and coordinated demand for dignified, affordable, and sustainable housing in Spain — one that could shape the national political agenda in the months ahead.

Stay tuned to The Horizons Times for continued reporting on housing rights, urban policy, and social justice movements across Europe.