Thousands of people rallied in Madrid and Barcelona to protest against high house rents in Spain. Spaniards carried banners saying “End the speculators’ bargaining.”

In major cities like Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, thousands of Spaniards took to the streets to protest against the housing crisis and high house rents. Particularly concerning for Spaniards over the past decade, the housing crisis was protested nationwide for the first time in over 40 cities. Demonstrations organized by tenant associations in Madrid and Catalonia, where the housing crisis is most severe, displayed banners with messages like “Let’s end the housing crisis” and “50% rent reduction and an end to speculators’ bargaining.” The largest protests, with thousands in attendance, were held in Madrid and Barcelona. Tenant associations called for a “50% reduction in rents nationwide,” and if their demands are not met, they called for a “rent strike.” Valeria Racu, spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants Association who complained about high housing prices and rents, said, “We have decided on indefinite action.”

Racu stated: “We must go on strike nationwide. Speculation must be stopped, and the government must take action. No one should be forced to leave their home, neighborhood, or city every 5 or 7 years (at lease renewal time). In Madrid, half a million households whose leases expire by 2025 are calling for resistance and staying put.”