Protess against housing shortage flare up in Spain

 

TT-AFP

 

Published 15.37

 

People are demonstrating in Madrid on Saturday, demanding stricter laws to protect tenants in the capital. The banner reads in Spanish: "No one without a roof over their head." Photo: Andrea Comas/AP/TT

Tens of thousands of demonstrators are marching in the capital, Madrid, and other Spanish cities on Saturday to demand affordable housing.

The widespread protests across the country come a day after lawmakers rejected support measures for tenants.

The demonstrations prolong a crisis that has been ongoing for over a week, sparked on September 23 when a pensioner was forced to leave her apartment in Madrid.

Madrid’s tenants' association is hailing the success of the protests, estimating the number of participants at 500,000 in Madrid alone, reports *El País*. According to the national government, 70,000 people took part in the demonstration.

"Eight days of people power have achieved far more than eight years of progressive governance," said Valeria Racu, spokesperson for the tenants' association, according to the newspaper.