Catalan regional police officers (Mossos d'Esquadra) are pictured with a fire in background during a nationwide general strike over the country's housing crisis, with workers also demanding greater purchasing power ahead of a snap general election at the end of the month, in Barcelona on November 11, 2026. Tens of thousands of protesters marched across Spain during a general strike over housing affordability and purchasing power just weeks before an early general election. (AFP)
4 million join Spain's first general strike in 14 years as housing protests continue
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- Unions described participation as "massive", reporting strong support in several industrial sectors, while business leaders disputed the figures and played down the scale of the stoppage.
- The strike disrupted transport, manufacturing and commercial activity, with reported factory shutdowns and reduced public transport use.
- Protesters demanded affordable housing, stronger tenant protections, higher wages and increased investment in public services.
Thousands of people took to the streets of Madrid and other Spanish cities on Wednesday as workers staged a nationwide 24-hour general strike demanding action over soaring housing costs, stagnant purchasing power and pressure on public services.
The Nov. 11 walkout, backed by Spain's largest trade unions, UGT and CCOO, is the country's first general strike in 14 years. It brought together workers, tenants' groups and housing activists calling for better wages, affordable housing and stronger protections for renters amid a deepening housing crisis.
Unions described participation as "massive", reporting particularly strong support in the automotive, petrochemical and meat-processing industries, as well as in coastal regions. However, the employers' association CEOE disputed that assessment, describing participation as low across most sectors and arguing that the impact varied considerably by region and industry.
The strike also disrupted transport and commercial activity. Reuters reported that electricity demand fell by as much as 15.5% during the morning, while Madrid's metro recorded a 42% drop in peak-hour passenger numbers compared with the previous week. Unions reported stoppages of up to 90% in the automotive and port sectors, including factory shutdowns at Volkswagen and SEAT.
At the centre of the protests is Spain's worsening housing shortage. The country faces a deficit of approximately 750,000 homes, which could exceed one million by 2028, according to the Bank of Spain. Average monthly rent has reached €1,176, equivalent to around 98.7% of the average monthly salary of a young person, according to Spain's Youth Council.
Public anger intensified following the eviction of an 87-year-old woman, known as Maricarmen, from her Madrid home and her subsequent death. The incident became a rallying point for housing activists demanding stronger tenant protections, restrictions on rent increases and action against property speculation. Unions have also called for expanded public housing and a new minimum-wage agreement.
The strike comes ahead of Spain's Nov. 29 snap general election, called by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez after parliament rejected government measures intended to address housing affordability. The housing crisis has become a major electoral issue, with opposition parties accusing unions of using the strike to support Sánchez's political campaign, an allegation the unions reject.
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