Protests spread in Spain after housing decrees rejected

Demonstrations over housing costs took place in Madrid and other Spanish cities on Saturday, October 3, a day after parliament rejected two government decrees aimed at easing pressure on tenants. Protesters called for affordable housing measures, and some raised the prospect of a general strike, though no date has been set for one. The measures proposed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government were defeated in parliament on Friday. The vote followed months of concern over rising rents and housing costs, and came as a tent camp and demonstrations linked to the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her Madrid home continued. Reports said the decrees were intended to provide tenants with relief or stronger protections. Attendance estimates for the Madrid demonstration differed substantially. Authorities put the number at about 70,000, while organisers estimated about 500,000. Demonstrations were also reported in dozens of other cities, including Barcelona and Cádiz. The available reports did not provide an independently verified count for the Madrid rally. The demonstrations were largely peaceful, but the situation was more tense in Valencia.