Tens of thousands protest across Spain after parliament rejects housing decrees

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Spain after parliament rejected two emergency housing decrees, deepening a days-long dispute over the country's housing crisis. Demonstrations were reported in Madrid and about 50 other cities on Saturday, with protesters calling for affordable housing measures and a general strike. The rallies came a day after lawmakers voted down the government's relief package for tenants.

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The rejected decrees had been proposed by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's minority left-wing government and were intended to ease pressure on renters. According to the supporting report, the measures were defeated on Friday after the right-wing Catalan separatist party Junts voted against them, joining the main opposition Popular Party and the far-right Vox party. Protesters in Madrid said the vote showed that political parties were not responding to public demands, while a spokesperson for the Tenants' Union said the demonstrations reflected a new energy in the housing movement.

The protests were triggered more than a week ago by the eviction of an 87-year-old pensioner from her home in Madrid, which helped spark a wider mobilisation. Hundreds of people later set up tents in central Madrid to press for reforms, and Saturday's rallies were described by organisers as a continuation of that campaign. In Valencia, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse demonstrators, and about 30 protesters entered the City of Arts and Sciences before being removed by police.

Most other protests were reported as peaceful, with signs calling for homes to live in and the right to housing. The unrest highlights the political sensitivity of housing costs in Spain, where rising rents and limited supply have become a major public issue. The defeat of the decrees was also a setback for Sanchez, whose coalition depends on support from parties outside his government.

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The vote showed how housing policy has become tied to broader parliamentary tensions, especially when regional and opposition parties can block emergency measures. The current wave of protests also reflects the growing role of tenant groups in shaping the debate. The Tenants' Union has framed the demonstrations as evidence that street mobilisation can force political attention more quickly than formal negotiations.

The movement has spread beyond the capital, suggesting that housing affordability is resonating in multiple parts of the country rather than remaining a local dispute. What remains unclear is whether the government will try to reintroduce similar measures or seek a new compromise with parliamentary allies. It is also not yet clear whether the protests will continue at the same scale or lead to further disruption in the coming days.

The next developments to watch are any response from Sanchez's government, possible talks with Junts and other parties, and whether organisers follow through on calls for a general strike.

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