Madrid has not seen this before. Pedro Sánchez now travels through the city surrounded by layers of security. His convoys and bodyguards outnumber those of any other European leader, putting the president’s fear of public backlash on display. His government continues to roll out policies that many say are driving a wedge between those in power and everyone else.
Recent moves have widened the gap. After youth protests erupted at Puerta del Sol, Sánchez’s team quickly introduced two rental decrees. Critics say the measures will further disrupt the housing market. BBC and EFE report that the decrees ban evictions for vulnerable households until 2030 and extend some rental contracts to 2028. They also introduce new rules for short-term and room rentals, while investment funds face limits on buying property. The government says the measures are needed to address the housing crisis, but parliament must still approve them. Even within the ruling coalition, there is debate over what the rules mean and how far they go. BBC reported that the eviction of an elderly woman in Madrid triggered the mass protests, fuelling public outrage and speeding up the government’s response to evictions.
Sánchez’s security detail has grown to a level that even veteran police call "absolutely disproportionate." When he appeared on "El Hormiguero," he arrived with what looked like nearly a hundred bodyguards. The scene unsettled viewers across Spain, a country known for calm streets. Every trip to Congress now brings more police and street closures, with pedestrian routes diverted. All of this keeps Sánchez from facing the people who pay his salary. The exact number of bodyguards, including the "nearly a hundred" claim, has not been established. What is confirmed is a clear increase in police presence and street closures during his movements, especially when protests are nearby.
This does not look like confidence. It looks like a leader who feels his grip slipping. The Spanish public protests loudly but is not violent toward leaders. Sánchez acts as if every protest threatens his life. He seems to mistake democratic dissent for personal danger.
History has seen this before. A president hiding behind barricades brings to mind the final days of isolated regimes. Security becomes a wall between power and the people. When leaders hide behind armored cars and empty streets, it is not strength. It is fear.
Despite the government’s announcement of new housing measures, protests have not subsided. Euronews reported that demonstrators at the Puerta del Sol encampment planned to remain even after the decrees were unveiled, reflecting continued political tension and dissatisfaction with the scope of the reforms.
The government’s rental decrees could do lasting harm. By undermining legal certainty, they may push property owners out of the market. Renters could face fewer choices and greater frustration. As reported earlier, mistakes in other sectors have already shown the cost of government indecision and overreach.
Spain does not need a leader who hides behind barricades. The real threat is not the public but a presidency so locked in fear that it cannot walk among its own people. When the gap between government and citizens grows this wide, democracy starts to crack. Spain deserves a leader who faces the crowd, not one who runs from it.
