MADRID: Thousands of people staged a protest demonstration in Madrid on Sunday to demand more affordable housing amid rising inflation.
Under the slogan “Housing is a right, not a business”, protestors marched in the Spanish capital to demand cheap housing rental prices and improved living conditions.
According to the Spanish government, twelve thousand people participated in the protest.
“Spaniards cannot live in their own cities. They are forcing us out of the cities. The government has to regulate prices, regulate housing,” said a nurse Blanca Prieto.
READ ALSO: Hezbollah clash with Israeli Forces Near Ramiya, UN Peacekeeper Hurt
In July, the government of Spain announced a crackdown on short-term and seasonal holiday lettings. Spain is struggling to balance promoting tourism, a major driver of its economy, and addressing the concerns of citizens over high rents because of gentrification and landlords shifting to more lucrative tourist rentals.
In a separate demonstration in Barcelona, protesters blamed the America’s Cup yachting race, for pushing up rental prices and bringing more tourists into the city.
Residents of the Canary Islands and Malaga have also protested this year against the rise in tourist rentals. Seasonal hospitality workers struggle to find accommodation in these tourist destinations, with many resorting to sleeping in caravans or even their cars.