Protests erupt in Madrid as housing prices hit record levels

As many as thousands of residents took to the streets of Madrid on February 9 to protest what they are calling a "housing emergency" as rental prices soar to historic levels, severely affecting the working class.

The rally comes as the average price of housing in Spain hit an all-time high in the final quarter of 2024, reaching 12.5% above the peak levels of 2007, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“We are here to denounce the horror of living in Madrid. Madrid suffocates us, it pushes us out. Housing makes life unbearable. And we are here to tell Isabel Díaz Ayuso to do her job, to cap rental prices, to implement rent controls, and to strengthen the public housing stock,” one protester said.

The demonstration saw a wave of frustration from citizens who argue that the current housing crisis is forcing them to make impossible choices.

"The demand is that for our children and grandchildren, rental prices be lowered, and affordable housing be made available for them, as they can't become independent, and we are absolutely fed up with it," added another protester.

Protesters are calling for urgent measures from the local government, particularly from the Madrid Regional President, Isabel Díaz Ayuso. They are demanding immediate action to introduce rent controls and increase the availability of affordable housing, as many working-class families struggle to make ends meet amid ever-rising costs.

By Aghakazim Guliyev