- Millions of workers protested soaring house prices across Spain.
- First nationwide general strike in 14 years since 2012.
- Protests turned violent in Madrid and Barcelona, leading to arrests.
Spain Protest: Spain is seeing its biggest protest in 14 years as millions of workers took to the streets to protest against soaring house prices on Wednesday. Many marched in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities even though the weather was bad. The nationwide strike, the first since 2012, has drawn attention as it comes just weeks before Spain votes in a snap general election.
Why Are People Protesting?
According to Reuters, the main reason behind the protest is the housing issue. Rents have gone up a lot in Spain, with many families finding it hard to pay rent or buy a home. Evictions have also made people angry. The strike was first called by groups of tenants, and it was later joined by Spain's two biggest worker unions. Together, they represent more than a million workers.
🇪🇸 WE WANT TO LIVE, NOT JUST SURVIVE. That was the message as millions of workers walked off the job across Spain over soaring housing costs. It's the country's first general strike in 14 years. Rent there has nearly DOUBLED in a decade. Spain votes on November 29, and housing will be on every ballot. Source: AP / Writer: Julie https://t.co/U0EH5uNhQc
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) November 12, 2026
Unions said about 4 million workers joined the strike. Videos circulating online show big crowds marching through city streets, bringing halt to traffic. In some places, protesters set fire to bins and street furniture. In Barcelona, the protest turned tense after the main march ended as some people broke shop windows and threw fireworks and other things at the police.
Police clashed with protesters in Madrid and Barcelona following nationwide demonstrations over soaring housing costs and declining purchasing power. #NationwideProtest #policeclash #Spain https://t.co/nX3wD3fmCd
— International Crisis Room 360 (@ICR360) November 12, 2026
In Madrid, police pushed back crowds near the central Plaza de Espana. Footage showed police using tear gas, pepper spray, and foam bullets to clear the area. According to Police, at least 73 people were arrested by late evening. They also reported more than 1,000 incidents linked to the strike, including road blockades, office blockades, and burning of rubbish bins.
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Spain Election
Spain will hold a general election on November 29. People will vote for all 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies and 209 of 267 seats in the Senate. The election was called early by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and reports suggest that the housing protest could become a big issue in the election. The last time Spain saw a general strike was in 2012 when workers were protesting against cuts during the euro debt crisis.
Apart from Spain, several other European countries have witnessed protests over rising living costs in recent months. People are protesting over inflation, housing affordability, low wages and cuts to public services. Among the countries affected France has witnessed some of the biggest demonstrations, with protests turning violent in several cities. Similarly, Belgium, Italy and Portugal have also seen demonstrations against growing financial pressure.
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