Overview
- On Wednesday, Nov. 11, Spain’s two main unions and tenant groups staged a nationwide 24-hour general strike to demand binding tenant protections, limits on evictions and more affordable homes.
- Unions said about four million workers joined and reported heavy stoppages in ports and auto plants while business groups disputed those totals and called overall participation low.
- The strike shut down major transport services, closed shops and factories, and caused a sharp fall in power use with Red Eléctrica reporting up to a 15.5% drop in electricity demand during peak hours.
- Protests produced localized clashes in Madrid and Barcelona, with dozens of arrests reported by police and unions announcing plans to file criminal complaints over policing tactics.
- The action raises political pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and opposition parties as parliament considers limited emergency rent measures before the Nov. 29 vote and highlights a structural housing shortfall of roughly 750,000 homes and rents that now consume almost a young worker’s full monthly wage.