Millions of Spaniards stage first general strike in 14 years as anger over housing leads to clashes
Unions said 4 million workers joined the strike as public transport, ports and factories were disrupted and dozens were arrested in clashes.
- On Wednesday, November 11, 2026, millions of Spanish workers participated in Spain's first general strike in 14 years, demanding better wages and housing amid a severe cost-of-living crisis.
- Soaring rent prices averaging 1,176 euros —nearly 98.7 percent of young workers' monthly salaries—strained budgets. The eviction and death of 87-year-old Maricarmen last month galvanized campaigners to mobilize union support for the strike.
- Unions reported 4 million participants and disruption reaching 90 percent in automotive manufacturing and ports. The Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations dismissed the walkout as a "failure," estimating average participation below 5 percent.
- Following clashes in Madrid and Barcelona, authorities counted 74 arrests and 20 injuries from police operations. Opposition leaders labeled the strike "political," claiming it was designed to aid Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party before elections.
- The unrest occurs 18 days before the November 29 snap general election, where Sánchez's left-wing coalition trails the conservative People's Party in polls amid corruption scandals and a deadly October train crash that killed 69 people.
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311 Articles
Hundreds of thousands of people marched across the country on Wednesday to defend access to housing and purchasing power.
The Spanish Parliament by one vote approved a decree limiting rents and a temporary ban on the eviction of residents. Also, by a margin of one vote, the parliamentarians rejected the decree on the automatic renewal of lease agreements. A month ago, due to the refusal to adopt these two documents, protests broke out in the country, which led to a political crisis and the appointment of early parliamentary elections. The day before, on November 11…
Spain's transitional parliament has adopted with a single vote measures of the left minority government for more tenant protection. The conservative PP party wants to overturn the decree again. In two weeks in Spain is elected.
union-bulletin.com
Independent EspañolBARCELONA (AP) — The interim lower house of the Spanish Parliament ratified on Thursday housing measures designed to limit evictions and real estate speculation, a day after a general strike and massive street protests over the crisis...
Spanish legislators passed one of the two housing decrees whose rejection last month triggered the early election.
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