General strikes to paralyze Spain as demonstrators clash with police

Spanish workers are expected to turn out in the millions on Wednesday for the country’s first general strike in 14 years, as anger over soaring rents and living costs intensifies less than three weeks before a general election.

Demonstrators clashed with police at a wholesale market in Madrid in the early hours of the strike, while roadblocks were also reported in the early hours of Wednesday.

The 24-hour labor walkout is expected to disrupt public transport and flights, as well as bring some businesses, shops and factories to a standstill.

Housing costs are a particular source of frustration among demonstrators. Rents have almost doubled over the past decade, squeezing household budgets as many workers feel homeownership is beyond their reach.

The Bank of Spain estimates that the country faces a shortage of 750,000 homes, potentially rising to 1 million over the next two years.

Spain’s two largest trade unions, CCOO and UGT, which called the strike, are calling for greater government intervention in the housing market. Housing activists demand an end to tourist rentals and automatic lease renewals, while unions are seeking greater housing intervention and a new minimum-wage agreement.

UGT Secretary-General Pepe Álvarez urged members to join the protests, saying “there is no salary that can cope with the price of housing in this country,” in comments translated by CNBC. He added that it was time for the government to listen to citizens’ demands.

The strike follows weeks of social unrest. The eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her Madrid home, followed by her death around two weeks later, sparked national outrage. The left-wing government’s attempts to pass measures to help tenants were blocked by the opposition.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s coalition responded by calling an election for Nov. 29, hoping to bolster his support and secure another four years in power. But a high-speed train collision that killed 69 people, the second such disaster this year, shifted the debate toward public safety and accusations of government mismanagement.