Spains

Rising frustration about housing shortages and surging rents in Spain has led to mass protests.

The demonstrations started last month after the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, who died at age 87 this week.

The Socialist-led government tried to introduce measures to protect tenants and freeze rents, but Parliament rejected them. The conservative opposition says the solution is to ease regulations and build more homes.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has since announced early elections. Analysts say he wants to galvanise support, as he faces pressure on immigration and corruption investigations into his party.

Two recent polls indicate the right-wing People’s Party and far-right Vox are on track for a combined majority.

Can demonstrations against the housing crisis reverse Sanchez’s political fortunes?

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

Hana Jalloul – Secretary of international politics and cooperation for the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party and a member of the European Parliament

Daniel Lacalle – Chief economist at Tressis and professor at the IE Business School

Pablo Calderon Martinez – Associate professor in politics and international relations at Northeastern University

However, Jorge Galindo, director at the Esade centre for economic policy, says that available data makes it difficult to know exactly how many Spanish properties are owned by so-called “vulture funds” and being used for speculation.

He points to Bank of Spain figures from 2024 showing that only 8% of properties for rent are owned by companies.

Galindo says he concludes from the data available that there is not a notable accumulation of property to rent among a small number of owners in Spain.

“When it comes to explaining the rise in rentals, that is not the big cause,” he says. “What explains it is the shortage of supply compared to demand over recent years.”

The Bank of Spain appears to agree, and has estimated that the country has a housing shortfall of around 750,000 homes.

The institution’s deputy governor, Soledad Núñez, warned in September that by 2028 that could rise to one million.

There are 3.8 million empty properties in Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), but a large number of those are in depopulated rural areas and therefore have little relevance to the current crisis, which is most acute in urban hubs.

Other explanations for this high number include properties awaiting renovation, or legal disputes between family members who have inherited them.

Demographic changes play a major part in the imbalance between supply and demand.

Between 2021 and 2025, there were about 1.2 million new households in Spain, driven in great part by the arrival of migrants who have played a major role in the country’s recent economic growth.

However, house building has not kept pace, with fewer than half-a-million new homes during that period.

That was partly because Spain’s construction industry had shrunk in the wake of the Eurozone crisis, while the cost of materials rose substantially after Covid, and a lack of political consensus put legal obstacles in the way of building.

“It was not a priority for us to build new houses,” Galindo says. “But, once the demographic boom came, we realised how costly it was for us.”

He adds that short-term tourist accommodation, like Airbnb, which has been identified by both the Spanish government and many activists as a culprit, is likely to have had a more localised effect, pushing up prices in specific urban areas rather than having an overall impact.

Sanchez calls early vote after Parliament rejected housing relief measures proposed by his minority government.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced a snap general election after Parliament rejected housing relief measures proposed by his minority government.

Sanchez said on Monday the vote would take place on November 29. “We need to renew people’s support,” he said in a televised address.

“We need to mobilise and win a much larger progressive majority in Parliament, one that will allow us to overcome vested interests, deliver new social advances and continue transforming Spain.”

He also acknowledged having made mistakes and falling short of previous campaign promises.

“I also know that part of that social majority is dissatisfied today,” Sanchez said.

The government’s defeat in Parliament on Friday was the latest in a series of political setbacks for the centre-left leader, followed by mass protests across the country over the housing crisis.

The government said more than 70,000 people took part in a housing protest in the capital, Madrid, on Saturday.

Anger had been building since late last month, when an 87-year-old woman, Marai del Carmen Abascal, was evicted from her home of 70 years in Madrid after an international investment fund bought her building and increased the rent.

Far right gains ground

But facing the electorate is a risky move for Sanchez. Opinion polls suggest that a coalition led by the conservative People’s Party (PP), with support from the far-right Vox party, is the most likely outcome in the election.

If they win, it would be the first time since the death of dictator Francisco Franco that a far-right party has entered central government.

If Sanchez loses the election, it would also mark the end of one of Europe’s last left-leaning governments as the far right continues to gain ground across the continent.

Sanchez has stood out worldwide for his strong stance on progressive ideas, from defending the rights of Palestinian people to defending multilateral institutions and cracking down on tech oligarchs.

The prime minister, who has never won enough votes to form a majority government, has brought together a series of fragile and seemingly impossible coalitions, ranging from the far left to the separatist right, to remain in power for three successive terms, lasting eight years.

The election was due next year before Sanchez brought it forward.

Lamine Yamal has carried on his superb goal-scoring form, helping Spain secure a 3-1 win over Czechia in the UEFA Nations League and consolidating his bid to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award later this month.

The world champions moved three points clear of England at the top of Group A3 after Thomas Tuchel’s side demolished Croatia 7-0 earlier in Rijeka on Saturday.

Spain cruised into a two-goal lead with Yamal and captain Rodri Hernandez on target, but Jiri Slama gave the Czechs a chance by pulling one back with 20 minutes to go.

However, Mikel Merino wrapped up Spain’s win late on after Ladislav Krejci was sent off for the Czechs, as Spain racked up a 41st consecutive unbeaten game, including the World Cup final win over Argentina in July.

Yamal, who scored in the second minute of Spain’s first two games against England and Croatia, waited as long as the sixth minute before breaking the deadlock. He is the first player to score a goal within the first 10 minutes of three consecutive men’s international matches.

“They are well-drilled; I thought it would be one of the hardest games, and that’s how it was,” Rodri told a Spanish broadcaster after Spain claimed a third win from three group games.

“It was tricky but we got some chances. There are some matches in which you can’t generate that much, but the team was able to manage the match.”

The former Manchester City midfielder scored for the first time for Spain in more than two years.

“It’s always special to score for the national team. I’d not been scoring many goals; let’s see if I’ve found that dynamic – it’s important, we all have to chip in with the goals,” he added.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made several changes in Oviedo from Tuesday’s win over Croatia, including handing debuts to full-back Ivan Fresneda and striker Roberto Fernandez.

It was one of Spain’s star names, though, who lit up the game early on, something he is beginning to make a habit of.

The 19-year-old winger, a leading candidate for the Ballon d’Or, produced an exquisite finish from the right of the box, curling into the top corner after taking a touch to earn himself room to shoot.

“We’re doing well; I’m very happy. I was eager to return to the national team after the World Cup, and there’s no better way than this,” said Yamal.

Spain coach De la Fuente put his hands to his head in apparent shock at the quality of Yamal’s superb strike, his 12th in his last nine games for club and country.

“I think he never stops surprising us – I think all of us. He has so much talent, so much quality, that we still haven’t seen the best version of Lamine by a long shot,” said De la Fuente.

“He has a lot more to offer because he’s so classy, so talented, with so much potential.”

The winger’s Barcelona teammate, Rodri, doubled Spain’s lead after 35 minutes, arriving in the box to drill into the top corner after the ball fell nicely for him.

De la Fuente took off Yamal at half-time to give the young Barcelona star a break before Tuesday’s visit to face Croatia, and the pace of the game slowed.

The Czechs pulled one back through Slama, who produced an excellent low finish across David Raya after Adam Hlozek played him in.

Arsenal stopper Raya was fortunate a few minutes later when he conceded possession with a misplaced pass while out of his goal, but the visitors could not capitalise.

Raya also spilled the ball badly and Ryan Naderi turned home, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Robin Le Normand.

Czechia’s determined efforts to battle back were derailed by Krejci’s red card, with the defender shown a second yellow for pulling back Fernandez, before Merino rounded off Spain’s win.

Both decrees to tackle housing affordability crisis shot down as critics say measures would tighten the housing market.

Spain’s government has lost key votes to ratify emergency measures aimed at tackling the nation’s housing affordability crisis, after protests intensified last month following the eviction of an 87-year-old woman.

The proposed measures, which comprised two separate decrees, were both shot down by the majority of ⁠the 350-seat lower house of parliament on Friday.

The move is a heavy blow to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose government faces public pressure, including from the hundreds of protesters who had gathered outside parliament demanding help for renters.

The first decree was meant to stop evictions of vulnerable people, make real estate speculation harder, impose tighter restrictions on short-term leases and provide tax incentives to encourage renting and the construction of housing.

The second decree proposed making leases automatically renew when they are set to expire, essentially making them indefinite. A property owner would have to pay a tenant 12 months of rent to break the contract.

The right-wing ⁠Catalan separatist ⁠party Junts refused to back the housing decrees, saying they would ultimately tighten the housing market. The centre-right Popular Party and far-right Vox also voted against the measures.

Sanchez, who leads a coalition government composed of his Socialist Party and the far-left Sumar, ⁠appealed to lawmakers in the run-up to the vote to put aside political calculations and pressure.

“Think about ordinary people, about those who most need the protection of public institutions. Think about the millions of young people who ⁠cannot afford to ⁠move out of their parents’ homes. Think about the families living with the constant ⁠anxiety of ever-rising rents,” he said.

“Do the right ⁠thing, because I ⁠believe that if you do not, history will judge you sooner than you ‌think, and far more harshly than you can imagine.”

Miriam Nogueras of Junts argued the decrees would only lead to owners removing their properties from the rental market, and thus driving up prices even further.

“These decrees still allow speculators to buy property and to evict people,” Nogueras said.

‘Your profits, our misery’

As the vote was under way, protesters marched on the parliament demanding help for renters.

The government decrees were intended to quell a public uproar following the televised eviction on September 23 of Maria del Carmen Abascal, known across Spain as Maricarmen, that set off protests and a camp-in that occupied Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square ever since.

Abascal was living in the property in Madrid’s central Retiro neighbourhood under a rent-capped lease contract signed by her father in the 1950s. The property was then bought by the real estate and investment firm Urbagestion in 2018.

Urbagestion sought to terminate Abascal’s contract and evict her after raising her rent from 500 euros ($572) to 2,650 euros ($3,010) – nearly double her pension of 1,350 euros ($1,533) a month – according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

When the police carried out her eviction on their fourth attempt, hundreds of activists who had been protesting against her losing a home she had lived in her entire life were waiting outside. Abascal has since been offered a preliminary agreement that would allow her return to her home.

Protesters rallying at the chamber in downtown Madrid on Friday held up homemade signs with images of vultures on them, denouncing the real estate speculators they blame for driving up prices.

Some people gathered outside the assembly chanted “your profits, our misery” as lawmakers voted down the government’s decree.

The average rent in Spain has almost doubled in the past 10 years. The average price per square metre has risen from 8.20 euros (about $9.08 at the time) in 2016 to 15.1 euros ($17.15) this year, according to the real estate website Idealista.

Brits looking for cheap Spain holidays where it’s still warm and sunny into late October may want to check out one particularly charming destination

Summer may officially be over, but there’s good news for those not quite ready to accept this fact, as Europe still offers a host of holiday options with hot and sunny weather.

In fact, there’s one Spanish destination that’s been tipped as one of the best holiday hotspots for October, thanks to its balmy temperatures, beautiful beaches and cheap flights.

Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, still boasts daytime temperatures of 25-27C, with sea waters still warm enough for swimming if you fancy a beach day and a dip. (Just pack some light layers for the evenings when temperatures drop to about 18-19C). Temperatures stay warm well into the winter months – it’s why the Canaries are such popular destinations year-round.

As for Lanzarote, it offers a wide array of different stays from luxury resorts ideal for a romantic getaway, to family-friendly all-inclusive breaks with kids’ clubs, poolside entertainment and family-friendly rooms.

Playa de Papagayo is the highest-rated beach according to TripAdvisor, with holidaymakers praising the golden sands and turquoise waters, although be warned that you’ll need to face a slightly dusty and bumpy road to reach the beach, and cross over some sand dunes. In terms of popularity, Papagayo is closely followed by Playa Blanca, another shoreline made up of soft sands and azure waters with a nearby port and marina if you fancy a waterfront lunch.

The island is also full of brilliant accommodation options. Some of the more popular resorts include the likes of ILUNION Costa Sal Lanzarote, H10 Suite Lanzarote Gardens, Iberostar Selection Lanzarote Park, and Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort, while the likes of MAGMA Rooms Lanzarote and Apartments Agua Marina Lanzarote offer rooms under £100 a night, outside of half term dates.

As for getting there, when we took a look on Skyscanner, there were plenty of flight options from 12 UK airports with fares from under £30 each way, based on two adults travelling outside of the half term dates. For example we found one-way fares from £17 from Liverpool, £19 from London, £21 from Bristol and £24 from Manchester. (For a family of four travelling during half term, the cheapest flights appeared to be from Bristol with prices from £148pp each way).

Given the weather, cheap flight options and array of accommodation, it’s therefore no surprise that Lanzarote has been named one of Europe’s top 10 best holidays for October, in a recent study from the travel experts at Solmar Villas. The team ranked 105 holiday destinations looking at factors including weather and affordable flights, with Lanzarote coming out sixth in the overall rankings.

Cyprus was the top destination taking four spots in the top ten, while Greece had three destinations on the list and Spain two, followed by Malta – you can check out the full top 10 list below.

Top 10 best October holidays in Europe

1. Ayia Napa, Cyprus
2. Limassol, Cyprus
3. Larnaca, Cyprus
4. Paphos, Cyprus
5. Athens Riviera, Greece
6. Lanzarote, Spain
7. Fuerteventura, Spain
8. Rhodes, Greece
9. Kos, Greece
10. Malta

WHEN it comes to the Canary Islands, your first thought would probably be Tenerife or Gran Canaria.

But what if I told you the smallest of the islands is often overlooked but is just as beautiful?

La Graciosa is the smallest inhabited Canary Island, known for its volcanic landscapes.

Tourism Lanzarote even claims that “it is the least explored and most peaceful and serene of the Canary Islands.”

There are two main villages on the island – the main fishing village and then the port of Caleta de Sebo.

And in these storybook villages, you won’t find paved roads, instead just sand-covered streets and paths.

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If you are looking for somewhere to stay on the island, you’ll want to head to Caleta de Sebo as this is where you’ll find most of the accommodation such as guest houses, apartments and campsites.

And thanks to many of the buildings in the towns being whitewash with low roofs, visitors have previously compared La Graciosa to Mykonos.

Despite being just north of Lanzarote and separated from the holiday hotspot by a narrow strait called El Rio, La Graciosa is far less crowded.

The island only has a population of 700 and thanks its small size – 11.2-square-miles to be exact – it doesn’t take too long to explore.

The most popular way of exploring the island is by bike, with numerous trails heading to different corners of the island.

And of course, you can head to the beach.

In fact, at the beach you’ll be sat in front of Europe’s largest marine reserve, which is the ideal spot for snorkeling and diving.

White-sand beaches include Playa de las Conchas, which one visitor recently dubbed as “one of the most beautiful beaches in the Canarias”.

They added: “The colors and the scenery are astonishing.”

It takes about an hour to walk to the beach from the main port, alternatively you could cycle there.

There are also no facilities at the beach, so make sure you are prepared before visiting.

Alternatively, at the other end of the island is Playa Francesa, which is a crescent shaped beach with golden sand.

You’ll also get a view of the volcano from the beach.

To get to the island you’ll need to hop on a ferry from Orzola on Lanzarote.

It takes about 25 minutes to reach the island.

And flying to Lanzarote is super cheap – with on-way tickets costing from £15 in September, October, Novemeber and December.

And what makes the destination even better is that next week, temperatures reach up to 28C making it the ideal escape from autumnal UK.

Lamine Yamal goal opens the scoring, but Spain made to comeback in Nations League win as Harry Kane misses penalty.

World champions Spain came from behind to beat England 3-2 in an entertaining Nations League encounter at Wembley on Saturday, denying the hosts a cathartic win after their painful World Cup exit.

Victory for Luis de la Fuente’s men extends Spain’s astonishing unbeaten run to 39 matches – a record for a European team.

Thomas Tuchel’s men got off to a nightmare start when Lamine Yamal pounced on a gaffe by defender Marc Guehi, and they could easily have been three goals down as silky Spain created multiple chances.

But England, criticised for their ultra-defensive tactics in their World Cup semifinal defeat to Argentina, showed adventure of their own and got their reward in the 36th minute when Barcelona winger Anthony Gordon finished a fine team move.

Four minutes later, the home side were ahead after Kane headed home Nico O’Reilly’s cross via a Marc Cucurella deflection.

Kane had a golden chance to give England a two-goal cushion from the penalty spot 10 minutes into the second half but slipped slightly, crashing his shot against the bar.

Spain, who beat England in the Euro 2024 final, took full advantage, with substitutes Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal putting their side ahead, taking advantage of more sloppy defensive play from the home side.

England boss Thomas Tuchel was adamant ahead of the match that it did not signal a new start, but he will have been dismayed by his team’s nervy start.

Manchester City’s Guehi, with a chance to clear in the second minute, inexplicably turned back towards goalkeeper James Trafford, apparently unaware that Yamal was just behind him.

The teenager collected the ball and curled a left-footed effort off the inside of the post.

Ferran Torres was in the thick of the action, with an effort ruled out for offside and another shot saved by Trafford, in for longtime number one Jordan Pickford.

He also squandered a golden opportunity with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Yamal then set up Dani Olmo, who flashed wide as Spain rued yet another miss.

England, who had shown plenty of promise down the wings, made the visitors pay with an incisive counter-attacking goal after winning the ball back deep in their own half.

Gordon was involved early in the move and surged forward, collecting Jude Bellingham’s pass to steer the ball decisively past goalkeeper Unai Simon.

And, with the atmosphere now totally changed, England were in front when Kane rose to head home.

Tuchel’s men started the second half brightly and had a chance to extend their lead from the spot when they were awarded a penalty for a Rodri foul on Bellingham following a VAR check.

But Kane crashed his shot against the bar, and England paid the price when Baena steered home on the hour mark after O’Reilly had given the ball away to Olmo.

Worse was to come for the home side when Baena turned provider for Oyarzabal, who dinked the ball over Trafford.