Housing activists in Madrid see snap election as pivotal moment for change

At a makeshift lunch counter amid a sea of tents in Madrid’s housing protest camp, Sélpide San Luis highlighted the rapid pace of change.

“We erected a whole city in just one week,” said the 26‑year‑old, whose videos of daily life at the camp have drawn tens of thousands of online views, gesturing to the over 1,200 tents pitched in Puerta del Sol. “We have laid out streets, assigned names, and installed surveillance systems. Thanks to our presence, the housing issue stays in the media spotlight — a goal we have pursued for years.”

This week represented another milestone for the spontaneous movement. Following days of protests and encampments that spread nationwide after the eviction of 87‑year‑old Maricarmen Abascal, Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap general election after right‑wing parties blocked emergency housing legislation.

Housing activists promised to maintain pressure. “People power has ushered in a new era,” said Alicia del Río of the Madrid Tenants’ Union, noting she is considering a nationwide strike for November.

“The upcoming election campaign will be heavily influenced by housing concerns. We ask members of parliament: will you enact the measures that the public — and a majority across parties — demands, or will you continue serving the interests of the rentier economy?”

Although the election was not required until August 2027, calling it now represents a high‑stakes gamble for Sánchez. Polls indicate the most probable result is a coalition between the People’s Party and the far‑right, anti‑immigration Vox party.

While anger grows over rents that have jumped 80 % in ten years and housing costs up 63 %, the protests also give Sánchez a chance to sustain his left‑wing coalition.

“Advancing the election carries risk, yet there is also a sense that ‘now is the moment,’” said Antonio Prieto, 36, as he and fellow volunteers turned the steady flow of food donations into meals for camp residents.

“Had we waited until 2027, the right and far right would likely have overwhelmed us. Now, with this momentum and a focus on housing, we can at least glimpse a sliver of hope.”

Prieto, like many others, is closely monitoring left‑of‑Socialist parties, hoping they will unite into a broad front before the vote. “I’m hopeful that our efforts have resonated, prompting left‑wing parties to recognise the magnitude of the housing crisis and begin crafting genuine solutions,” he said.

The eviction of Abascal — a wheelchair user who was removed from her home of over seventy years on a stretcher — thrust the long‑building frustration over Spain’s deepening housing crisis into public view. It highlighted the fierce competition for housing that pits residents against tourists, investment funds, and short‑term rentals.

As outrage spread nationwide, the investment firm that purchased Abascal’s property said she could return without facing the reported 230 % rent increase. Nevertheless, the protests and encampments have grown stronger as citizens demand change.

Prieto called the effort a “moral duty,” noting that the Spanish constitution guarantees the right to decent and adequate housing for everyone. “What we witness is a systematic breach of that charter — so we must remain,” he said.

The expanding tent city has attracted visitors — some photographing, some inquiring, a few provocative — yet the overwhelming majority voice their support, according to Juan Vázquez of the Housing Union of Carabanchel, a southern Madrid district.

“People of all ages have stopped by to offer encouragement, bring water and food, and urge us to persist,” he said.

The challenge now is to convert this surge of support into tangible change. “On one side, a right‑wing agenda pursues policies that inflict misery and directly assault the working class,” Vázquez said. “On the other, Sánchez’s administration has not targeted the profits that speculative landlords extract from our hardship.”

He described the upcoming weeks, as Spaniards prepare to vote, as crucial. “Essentially, we aim to harness this energy so it does not fade into a mere footnote of a week‑long encampment — to organise, apply pressure, and secure our rights. We understand that organising the working class is the only way to safeguard our interests.”

Jorge Rubio, 27, noted that the protest’s scale has hopefully made the stakes clear to all. “If you abstain from voting, the consequences could be severe — potentially leaving you without shelter,” he said, pointing out that rents for rooms have risen from €180 to €700 (£150 to £600) per month over six years. “It’s absurd and unsustainable; we are all affected,” he added.

He joined many who hope the movement expands further. “Housing is not solely a Spanish issue; it is a European challenge, and the push for change must extend across the continent,” he said.

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