Spain: 120,000 brave rain to demand affordable housing and better wages

Braving torrential rain, vast crowds flooded the main thoroughfares of the Spanish capital, unfurling banners with calls for a "General Strike" and chanting "We have no home". Police placed attendance at approximately 120,000, as aerial footage revealed packed streets completely gridlocking Madrid's historic centre.

Called jointly by the UGT and CCOO trade unions alongside housing activist groups, the 24-hour stoppage aimed to address stagnant wages, failing public services, and a spiralling cost of living. Anger over shelter has reached a boiling point in recent months, ignited in September by the high-profile eviction of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old pensioner in Madrid.

Union leaders hailed the turnout as "massive", though they conceded support was uneven, peaking in heavy industry, shipping ports, and coastal hubs. Conversely, the CEOE employers' federation dismissed the action as a "failure", claiming minimal disruption across most commercial sectors.

Coming less than three weeks before the 29 November snap election, the mobilisation firmly cements housing affordability at the heart of the national campaign.