Spain’s housing crisis has brought protesters to Madrid, where Gabriel Rufián accuses the PSOE of siding with big landlords over tenants. Protests followed the case of an 87-year-old woman who lost her home after living there for 71 years; she returned after a last-minute deal. Puerta del Sol is now packed with tents and people demanding more than empty promises on housing.
Rufián, ERC’s outspoken spokesman, says the government keeps choosing the wrong side. "The PSOE is a party that every time it can choose, chooses the worst option," Rufián said. He says the Socialists consistently back big landlords over tenants who can’t pay. For him, the issue is a matter of survival. "When they say 'three issues,' for me it’s housing, housing, and housing," he said. Rufián warns that the left could be swept away if it doesn’t act now.
The Bank of Spain estimates the country’s housing deficit at around 550,000 homes. Social rental housing accounts for less than 2% of the total stock, well below the EU average.
The government has passed two royal decrees extending eviction protections until 2030. They regulate seasonal and room rentals and allow some contracts to run two years longer. But anger in Madrid has not faded. Protesters in the city center say the measures are insufficient and plan to keep up the pressure until real solutions emerge. The January 2026 CIS Barometer puts concern at 42.6%, the share of Spaniards who now name housing as the country’s basic problem. The figure is higher still among young adults.
Rufián’s criticism reaches beyond policy changes. He points to a broken system: in the past year, 60% of homes were bought outright, while only 14% were bought as a basic home. He wants a crackdown on speculation, saying anyone trying to profit from housing should pay higher taxes or be banned. "With housing, there should be no speculation," he said. For him, investment and basic need are different things.
He also blames foreign buyers, saying they are snapping up multiple properties and pushing rents higher. Spain, he argues, cannot ignore this if homes are to remain within reach for its own people.
Reuters and NPR report that protests in Madrid have grown into a nationwide movement. Authorities estimate that 25,000 people attended the basic march, while organizers say the number was higher. Demonstrators want stronger tenant protections and a ban on evictions without alternative housing. They are also calling for tougher action against speculative investment funds and stricter rules for short-term rentals.
The government points to its reforms, but for those camped in Puerta del Sol, the reality feels very different. Their resolve is clear. Recent news coverage has shown the tension surrounding Madrid’s housing standoff. The fight between tenants and lawmakers has become a test for Spain’s left.
Housing is no longer a side issue in Spain; it is basic to trust in government and the future of city life. Rufián’s warnings are serious. Many believe that if the government keeps siding with big property owners, it will lose the people it claims to serve. What the PSOE and its critics do next will show whether anger in Puerta del Sol sparks change or deepens the crisis.
