Spain Holds First General Strike in 14 Years Over Housing
Unions and housing activists say the walkout responds to rising rents and a recent eviction that angered the public.
Key points
- Millions of workers in Spain struck on Wednesday to demand action on the housing crisis.
- It is the first general strike in Spain in 14 years, according to France 24.
- Unions UGT and CCOO reported high participation in key sectors, including autos, ports and energy.
- The walkout comes weeks before a national election that could benefit the far right.
- A deadly high-speed train crash, which killed 69 people, has dominated the campaign.
Millions of workers across Spain stopped work on Wednesday to press the government over soaring housing costs. As reported by France 24, which cited The Associated Press, it is the first general strike the country has seen in 14 years. The action comes only a few weeks before a nationwide vote that could give the far right a path to power.
Transport and industry hit by the walkout
Early reports pointed to delays on public transport and slowdowns or closures at businesses, factories and shops. Spain is the fourth-largest economy in the eurozone, so the effects were expected to be wide. Minor incidents were logged in the first hours, including roadblocks in Barcelona, some with burning tires.
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In Madrid, scuffles broke out between pickets and police near the main wholesale market on the city outskirts. Workers in Barcelona also set off fireworks at midnight as they gathered in public squares.
The unions UGT and CCOO said participation was high in key sectors. According to a statement posted on social media, they reported stoppages of 90 percent in the automotive and port industries, 85 percent in meat processing, 82 percent in waste collection and 75 percent in energy.
Why housing became the central issue
Average rents in Spain have almost doubled over the past decade, squeezing household budgets and angering voters. Public anger rose sharply after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from her Madrid home last month in a nationally televised operation. She later died, and she became known as Maricarmen, a symbol for people who feel they cannot afford to rent or buy.
Housing activists used the outrage to call for the strike, and Spain’s two main unions soon backed them. The activists want tourist apartments removed, a crackdown on property speculation and automatic renewal of leases to protect tenants. Both unions are calling for greater public involvement in property markets, and they want a fresh pay floor reached through negotiations with business representatives. The official slogan reads Salaries. Housing. Prices.
Government, opposition and the election
The government had pushed emergency measures to limit evictions and help tenants. Right-wing parties in Parliament refused to approve them, arguing they could drive properties off the rental market. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez then called an election, which the reporting says was set on October 5, in the hope of winning four more years for his left-wing coalition.
A high-speed train collision that killed 69 people has since dominated coverage and weighed on Sanchez’s campaign. It is Spain’s second deadly rail disaster this year. In a video posted this week, Sanchez praised past labour gains such as the 40-hour work week and public health insurance, and warned that rivals would bring austerity.
Veronica Martinez of Sumar, the junior government party, said the left needs workers to mobilise. The conservative Popular Party and the far-right Vox oppose state action on housing beyond encouraging new construction. Popular Party spokesperson Miguel Tellado described the walkout as an electoral strike rather than a general one.
Risk of unrest and what comes next
Analyst Oriol Bartomeus of the Autonomous University of Barcelona told AP that the Socialists need a peaceful strike to return the campaign to housing. He warned that violence could help the right, which already governs some regions together and could present itself as the party of order.
On Thursday, the cabinet will try again to secure approval from a slimmed-down interim assembly for a pair of housing measures that lawmakers in the main lower house turned down last month. The result of that vote was not yet known at the time of reporting.
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Frequently asked questions
Why did Spain hold a general strike?
Workers and unions struck to demand action on the housing crisis, including tighter rules on evictions and rents. The anger grew after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from her Madrid home last month.
When is Spainu0026#039;s national election?
The reporting says Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the election on October 5. The exact polling date is not stated in the source material.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
