Millions strike in Spain as housing anger sparks clashes
A nationwide walkout involved millions of Spaniards. This marked the country’s first general strike in 14 years. The event was driven by discontent over the housing crisis. It took place less than three weeks before a snap general election.
Initial peacefulness gives way to violence in urban areas
Approximately one-fifth of Spain’s total workforce participated in the strike, setting up picket lines and marching through cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, despite inclement weather, with the protests initially remaining largely peaceful, but later giving way to tensions in the evening.
As the day progressed, workers in various cities, including Madrid and Barcelona, took to the streets, with clashes erupting between police and some protesters in Barcelona, as seen in Reuters footage, which showed furniture being set on fire after the main march had concluded, while in Madrid, riot police employed foam bullets, tear gas, and pepper spray to disperse protesters near the central Plaza de España, according to a Reuters witness.
Nationwide, law enforcement reported at least 73 arrests linked to over 1,000 incidents, including the blockading of offices and industrial estates, as well as the burning of rubbish containers, as the strike’s impact began to manifest.
A historic walkout on the eve of elections
This general strike marks the first of its kind since 2012, when workers protested against austerity measures during the eurozone debt crisis, with the current walkout backed by Spain’s two largest unions, the General Union of Workers (UGT) and the Workers’ Commissions (CCOO), which collectively represent over a million members, as well as tenants’ associations, who are fighting against rising rents and evictions.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wants to use voter anger over the housing crisis. He aims to shift focus from recent events before the 29 November election. These include a deadly migration incident in Ceuta and a train crash. His Socialist Party still trails in polls.
Uneven participation and economic consequences
The strike saw strong participation in coastal regions, particularly in the automotive and port sectors, where participation reached 90%, according to the UGT and CCOO, with “total stoppages” reported at factories such as Volkswagen’s in Navarre and SEAT’s in Barcelona, while the impact of the strike on the economy is expected to be less pronounced due to the increasing trend of remote work and the growing services sector.
Electricity demand dropped by up to 15.5% between 10 am and 11 am. Barcelona’s metro suspended non-peak services. Madrid’s peak-hour usage fell 42% compared to the previous week. BBVA Research economist Miguel Cardoso estimated the strike could cut Spain’s GDP by 0.1% to 0.2% annually.
The rising cost of renting in Spain
Spain faces a significant deficit of approximately 750,000 homes, which is projected to increase to over a million by 2028, according to the central bank, leading to a surge in demand for rentals, with the average rental price of €1,176 equivalent to roughly 98.7% of a young person’s average monthly salary, as reported by the Youth Council of Spain.
In Barcelona, many shops were closed and boarded up in anticipation of unrest, while in Madrid, protesters cheered as stores such as Primark, H&M, and Pull&Bear lowered their shutters, with the protesters chanting, “We’re going to close the Mango store,” as they waved house keys above their heads.
Jesus Gonzalez, a 36-year-old hospital IT worker from Madrid, expressed his support for the strike, stating, “Rents just keep going up, house prices just keep going up, and it’s simply impossible,” as he struggles to afford living on his own.
The strike follows weeks of demonstrations sparked by the eviction and subsequent death of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid, which, along with parliament’s rejection of government decrees aimed at curbing evictions and limiting rent pressures, prompted Sanchez to call the snap election, with Spain’s workforce totaling around 23 million workers, according to the national statistics institute.
