Protests are taking place across Spain demanding greater protections for tenants following the leftist coalition government's failure to pass emergency housing legislation in parliament on 3 October 2026. About 50 planned marches were anticipated in Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona on 4 October 2026.
The spokesperson for the Valencia Tenants' Union stated there is a lot of anger in the streets. These demonstrations were sparked by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her residence last month.
The first proposed decree contained provisions such as suspending evictions for vulnerable tenants until 2030, extending rental leases expiring before 2028 by two years, increasing taxes on tourist apartments, and restricting the purchase of residential properties by "vulture funds." However, Members of Parliament rejected this initial decree by a margin of 178 votes to 172.
The second decree, which included automatic renewal of rental contracts, was subsequently rejected by MPs with a vote count of 184 to 166. The Madrid's Tenants' Union asserted that the rejection of the proposed legislation worsens the existing housing crisis.
Data indicates the Bank of Spain estimates the nation currently lacks 700,000 homes. Furthermore, figures show that house prices increased by 12.2% over the last year, according to Q2 2026 figures.
Rental costs saw an increase of 8.5% throughout 2025. Specifically, Madrid recorded a 9.7% rise in rents.
