Protesters across Spain demand action over housing crisis

Key Points:

• Thousands of protesters across Spain are demanding stronger tenant protections after the government failed to pass emergency housing legislation in parliament, with about 50 marches held in cities including Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona.
• The proposed legislation aimed to suspend evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, extend rental leases, increase taxes on tourist apartments, and restrict property purchases by investment funds, but was rejected by parliament due to opposition from conservative, far-right, and some pro-independence parties.
• The protests were sparked by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman unable to afford a rent hike, leading to nationwide outrage and calls for rent reductions, eviction bans, and limits on "vulture funds" buying property.
• Clashes between protesters and police occurred in Valencia, while Madrid saw large demonstrations with estimates of participants ranging from 70,000 to 500,000, and ongoing protests including camping in Puerta del Sol.
• Spain faces a severe housing shortage with an estimated 700,000 fewer homes than needed, rising house prices by 12.2% in the past year, and increasing rental costs, exacerbating the housing crisis for working-class citizens.