Tens of thousands protest across Spain following rejected housing bills

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Madrid and about 50 other cities across Spain on Saturday to protest the nation's housing crisis, according to Al Jazeera, Sky News, and the BBC. Protesters took to the streets to demand affordable housing measures and called for a general strike following parliamentary decisions. [1][3][4][5]

Al Jazeera reported that on Friday, the Spanish parliament voted down two emergency relief decrees proposed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez that were aimed at protecting tenants. Sky News reported that the nationwide demonstrations were also triggered by the forcible eviction of an 87-year-old woman named Maricarmen Abascal. [3][4][5]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, demonstrators established a protest camp at the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid on September 26, prior to the defeat of the housing decrees. Overtourism in locations such as Barcelona and the Balearic Islands has previously contributed to an increased cost of living for residents. [10][12][13]

The latest demonstrations deepen an ongoing crisis following the rejection of the affordable housing decrees, Al Jazeera reported. Protesters continue to demand structural reforms to address Spain's increasingly expensive housing market. [3]