MADRID (Realist English). The strike, initiated not by traditional trade unions but by the Tenants’ Union (Sindicato de Inquilinas), was supported by the country’s two largest unions — UGT and CCOO — as well as other organizations. Unlike previous strikes of a purely labor nature, the current action combined demands for higher wages with calls for a radical revision of housing policy: the introduction of state regulation of rental rates and the construction of affordable housing.
Reasons and demands: “Housing for living, not for landlords”
The catalyst for the protests was a tragedy: in September 2026, an 87-year-old woman died in Madrid after a forced eviction. This case triggered mass demonstrations and tent camps, and after parliament rejected government decrees restricting evictions and rent increases, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced early elections.
The situation on the Spanish housing market remains critical. According to the Central Bank, the housing deficit is about 750,000 units and is projected to exceed one million by 2028. The average rent of €1,176 is equivalent to almost 99% of the average monthly salary of a young Spaniard, according to the Spanish Youth Council.
Scale and first results
The strike paralyzed key sectors of the economy. According to unions, participation in the strike at an early stage reached 90% in ports and the automotive industry, where “full stoppages” were recorded at Volkswagen plants in Navarra and SEAT in Barcelona. In the meat industry, participation was 85%, in waste collection — 82%, in the energy sector — 75%. At the same time, in healthcare and social services, the strike was less extensive — 38%, and in postal services — 35%.
The protests were not without clashes. In Madrid, at the Mercamadrid wholesale market, where about 1,000 picketers gathered, police used pepper spray and detained one person; another 13 picketers required medical assistance.
Nationwide, as of midday, at least 23 people had been detained, and picketers blocked more than 30 roads in Catalonia, including the AP-7 motorway. Plans for mass marches in the afternoon were threatened by two storms, “Charles” and “Bruna,” due to which the meteorological agency AEMET issued warnings for 14 regions.
Political divide and election context
The strike became a central point of the election campaign. The government and left-wing parties supported the action, while the right-wing opposition (People’s Party and Vox) and business associations accused the organizers of pursuing exclusively political rather than labor goals.
Prime Minister Sánchez, whose Socialist Party is trailing in the polls, is trying to use discontent over the housing crisis to divert attention from corruption scandals and a railway disaster that occurred last month. However, union leaders and many protesters also place responsibility for the crisis on the central government.
The current strike is not just another protest action but an indicator of a deep social shift in Spain, where the housing issue has become the main political “fault line.” The fact that the strike was initiated by tenants rather than unions underscores how acutely the problem of housing affordability is perceived, especially among young people.
For Sánchez’s government, this is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it is trying to lead the protest sentiment, on the other, it risks facing an escalation of demands and accusations of inaction. The key question is whether the strike can convert into electoral dividends for the left in the 29 November elections, or whether it will, on the contrary, strengthen the position of the right, which positions itself as a defender of economic stability.
