Thousands protested in Madrid on Sunday to demand more affordable housing amid growing market prices.
Under the slogan “Housing is a right, not a business,” residents marched in the Spanish capital to demand lower rents and better living conditions. According to the Spanish government, 12,000 people took to the streets to protest.
In July, the Spanish government announced a crackdown on short-term and seasonal holiday rentals, and plans to investigate listings on platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com to see if they have licenses.
“Spaniards can’t live in their cities,” said Blanca Prieto, a 33-year-old nurse. “They are forcing us out of the cities. The government must regulate prices and regulate housing.”
Spain is struggling to balance promoting tourism, a key driver of its economy, with addressing citizens’ concerns about unreasonably high rents due to urban renewal and landlords shifting to more lucrative tourist rentals.
In a separate demonstration in Barcelona on Sunday against the America’s Cup yacht race, protesters blamed the international sporting event for driving up rents and bringing more tourists to the densely populated city.
Residents of the Canary Islands and Malaga have also staged protests this year against rising tourist rents, with seasonal hospitality workers struggling to find accommodation in these high-tourist areas, with many resorting to sleeping in caravans or even private cars.
In the second quarter of 2024, house prices rose by 1.3% in the eurozone and by 2.9% in the European Union compared with the same quarter the previous year, according to the housing price index.