Thousands of demonstrators marched through central Madrid on Sunday, May 24th chanting and waving banners to protest soaring rents and a housing shortage, and calling for urgent government action.
Organised by the Madrid Tenants’ Union under the slogan
Housing costs us our lives. Lower rents.
The mobilization was backed by the country’s two main trade unions, UGT and CCOO.
Accommodation has consistently ranked among the top concerns for voters in Spain. Demand has surged due to tourism and immigration-linked population growth, while the supply of public rentals remains critically low.
CCOO Secretary General Unai Sordo said:
Housing measures, although some are moving in the right direction, are advancing at a snail’s pace, while the crisis is escalating rapidly.
