Spain sees nationwide protests after housing reform bill rejected

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in cities such as Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona on Saturday, urging the government to adopt stronger safeguards for renters after a housing reform package was rejected by parliament on Friday. The protests follow public outrage over the eviction of an 87-year-old woman earlier this year, which sparked a wave of demands for lower rents, a halt to evictions and a ban on investment funds buying residential property.

"There is a lot of anger in the streets," said a spokesperson for the Valencia Tenants' Union, as clashes erupted between some protesters and police near the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, where a real estate summit was being held.

In Madrid, the capital's Tenants' Union estimated the crowd at 500,000, while officials put the figure at about 70,000. Demonstrators have been camping in Puerta del Sol for several days. One participant told public broadcaster RTVE that the protest was driven by conviction rather than comfort.

The rejected legislation comprised two decrees. The first would have suspended evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, extended existing leases, increased taxes on tourist apartments and limited purchases by so-called “vulture funds.” The second aimed to introduce automatic renewal of rental contracts. Both measures were voted down, with opposition from the conservative People's Party, far-right Vox and regional parties.

The government, a minority coalition of the Socialist Party and the Sumar alliance, has not secured a parliamentary majority and faces speculation about an early general election. The Bank of Spain estimates a shortfall of 700,000 homes, while house prices rose 12.2% over the past year and rents increased 8.5% in 2025, according to national statistics and real-estate data.

The Tenants' Union said the defeat of the proposals “exacerbates the housing crisis,” and called for a general strike to pressure authorities into action.