First general strike in Spain in 14 years held due to housing crisis
A general strike was held for the first time in 14 years in Spain to protest rising housing costs and rental prices. The actions, led by the UGT and CCOO trade unions, took place with broad participation nationwide ahead of the early elections on November 29.
On November 11, 2026, workers and tenants' associations went on strike across Spain as part of a general strike organized against the housing crisis. Marking the first general strike since 2014, the action saw high participation, particularly in areas such as ports and the automotive sector.
Supported by Spain's largest trade unions, UGT and CCOO, the strike aims to draw attention to the excessive rise in housing prices and the rental crisis. According to Bank of Spain data, there is a deficit of approximately 750,000 homes in the country. The unions reported that participation reached 90 percent in ports and the automotive sector, with production coming to a complete halt in factories such as Volkswagen and SEAT.
During the actions, protests, road blockages, and clashes between police and demonstrators occurred in major cities like Madrid and Barcelona. There are discrepancies in the figures regarding the number of detentions; while Reuters reported that one person was detained, government officials stated that more than 40 people were detained nationwide. Additionally, the use of pepper spray by police at the Mercamadrid wholesale market in Madrid resulted in 13 people sustaining injuries requiring medical attention.
Assessment: The housing crisis is expected to have an impact on the early elections to be held on November 29. Tenants' associations state that rents have increased by 80 percent and housing costs by 63 percent over the past decade. On the other hand, warnings issued by AEMET for 14 regions due to storms Charles and Bruna negatively affected the marches planned for the afternoon.