Activists for housing rights gathered outside the headquarters of Spain’s People’s Party (PP) in Madrid on Monday, April 28, 2025, to urge lawmakers to uphold a government decree extending rental contracts by two years. The demonstration, organized by the Tenants’ Union and the Madrid Regional Federation of Neighbourhood Associations (FRAVM), drew approximately 400 participants according to organizers, who chanted slogans such as “Landlords guilty, government responsible” and “PP and Vox, the same filth.” The protest occurred ahead of a scheduled congressional vote on the royal decree-law approved by the Council of Ministers on March 22, 2024, which aims to prevent over one million rental contracts set to expire before 2028 from being terminated or subjected to steep rent increases.
The decree, formally known as Royal Decree-Law 2/2024, of March 22, on urgent measures in housing and rental matters, allows tenants to automatically extend their contracts for two additional years with rent increases capped at 2% annually, tied to the Iberian Peninsula’s Consumer Price Index (IPC). According to Eurostat data verified for 2024, 42.2% of market-rate renters in Spain were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, while Spaniards spend an average of 51.38% of their gross monthly salary on rent for a standard 90-square-metre dwelling, based on analysis from the real estate platform pisos.com. The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030, led by Minister Pablo Bustinduy, estimates the measure will benefit more than 2.5 million people across Spain.
Gonzalo Álvarez, spokesperson for the State Confederation of Tenants’ Unions (CSI), emphasized during the protest that the vote would reveal each legislator’s allegiance: “Either they stand with tenants or with vulture funds speculating on our homes.” He noted that 144 deputies from the PP and Junts per Catalunya had received approximately 50,000 emails in under 24 hours urging them not to repeal the decree, which has been championed by the left-wing coalition Sumar. Álvarez added that the Ministry of Consumption had as well sent over 500 letters to major landlords encouraging adherence to the extension.
The protest remained peaceful though tensions flared briefly when demonstrators attempted to approach the PP headquarters on Génova Street, number 13, and were restrained by National Police officers stationed in two police vans. Protesters retreated while chanting “We are not leaving, we are staying” and “Your business, our misery.” Similar demonstrations have occurred in other Spanish cities in recent weeks as housing insecurity intensifies amid rising rents and limited social housing stock.
Human Faces Behind the Housing Crisis
Among the protesters was César Sanjuan, a 55-year-old pensioner from Carabanchel who has lived in the same apartment for 20 years. Originally public housing, his building was sold to the investment fund Blackstone, after which his monthly rent rose from €500 to €1,050 for a 70-square-metre unit. Sanjuan said he had already notified his landlord of his intent to adhere to the decree upon its enactment, providing temporary relief amid fears of displacement. He noted that alternative housing in nearby towns like Parla or Pinto carries comparable prices, making relocation unfeasible for many.
Aldo Reverte, a 36-year-old member of the State Confederation of Housing Unions who traveled from Aigua Freda near Barcelona, spoke of solidarity among tenants: “Here we all have memory and unity, which is why we stand together.” Rufina Parra, a 55-year-old home care worker from Argüelles, criticized her rental agency, Alquiler Seguro, for imposing abusive clauses, while Ana Carrera, a 45-year-old theatre and audiovisual worker from Malasaña, warned that without protections like the decree, cities would become inaccessible to all but the wealthy and turn into “theme parks for tourists.”
Criticism of PSOE’s Hesitation
Kike Villalobos, housing representative for FRAVM, condemned the ongoing housing emergency, stating that some tenants face rent increases of up to 300% upon contract renewal. He argued that the decree provides stability, not a radical overhaul: “If not, they will have to look us in the eyes and advise us we must leave our homes. What we have is not a Bolivarian measure — it is one that brings security.” Villalobos criticized the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) for its perceived lack of urgency, noting that Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez should be the decree’s chief defender. Álvarez echoed this sentiment, calling the measure “a relief, but not a solution.”
Protesters reiterated demands for systemic change, including a 50% reduction in rental prices, the return to indefinite-term contracts to prevent arbitrary evictions or tourist conversions, and the reclamation of an estimated four million vacant homes currently held by banks, vulture funds, or used for short-term tourist lets. As Álvarez stated, “It is possible — only political will is missing.”
The royal decree-law remains in effect until the congressional vote on April 28, 2025. If repealed, tenants whose contracts expire before 2027 would lose automatic protection and face market-rate renewals. Official updates on the legislative process can be followed through the Congress of Deputies’ website and the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE).
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