Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Spain in the latest protest against housing speculation and to demand access to affordable homes. Organizers claim that up to 150,000 joined the protest in Madrid, while smaller demonstrations took place in nearly 40 cities across the country. Protesters in Málaga and Vigo, among other cities, chanted phrases like “end the housing racket” and “landlords are guilty, the government is responsible”.

Valeria Racu, a spokesperson for the Madrid tenants’ union, called for rent strikes similar to those in some Catalan coastal towns. Racu stated that this is the beginning of the end of the housing business and the start of a better society without landlordism and the parasitical system that consumes salaries and resources.

The union says that an estimated 1.4 million Spanish households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, which is 200,000 more families than a decade ago. Housing has become the top social issue in Spain due to property speculation and tourist apartments driving up rental housing costs beyond the means of most people.

Official statistics show around 15,000 illegal tourist apartments in Madrid, and Barcelona’s city council plans to not renew existing 10,000 tourist apartment licenses when they expire in 2028. Initially a problem in tourist areas like the Balearic and Canary Islands, Barcelona, and now a countrywide issue, protests have been seen in cities like Seville, Valencia, Santiago de Compostela, Burgos, and San Sebastián, where keys have been used as a symbol of discontent over the lack of affordable homes.

The average rent for a small apartment in the Balearics has risen by 40% in five years to about €1,400 a month, which is more than the average monthly salary of those working in the hospitality sector, the region’s main industry. The young have been the most affected as housing costs have increased while salaries remain stagnant, with studies showing that 85% of young people under 30 still live with their parents.

In Barcelona, thousands gathered and demanded a 50% reduction in rents, indefinite leases, and an end to property speculation. Rents in Barcelona have increased by 70% in the past decade, while salaries rose by only 17.5%.

Jaime Palomera of the Urban Research Institute in Barcelona and the author of “The Kidnapping of Housing” stated that the housing market is rigged in favor of those with assets and that tax incentives encourage them to acquire more property. The rich have used their wealth to buy more property, constantly driving up prices and increasing inequality.

According to Palomera, the solution is to tax those who own multiple properties. He cites Singapore as an example, where the state supports first-time buyers but imposes an ascending tax regime on second and subsequent homes.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/05/spain-protest-march-housing-crisis