Tens of thousands march in Madrid demanding housing action

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Madrid on Saturday, demanding affordable housing and stronger legal protections for renters. Protesters carried banners, chanted slogans and rattled house keys, with some calling for a general strike over the housing issue.

The demonstration took place one day after Spanish lawmakers rejected emergency measures intended to tackle the country's worsening housing affordability crisis.

Anger grows after eviction case

Public frustration has been fueled in recent weeks by the eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal from her home in Madrid last month. The case triggered protests and led to the establishment of an encampment at the capital's central Puerta del Sol square.

Housing affordability has become one of the most pressing social issues in Spain in recent years, as rising rents and property prices in many areas have placed growing pressure on lower-income residents.