Tens of thousands of young people have protested across Spain in recent weeks, rallying against the country’s acute housing crisis.
asserted
thousands → protest → crisis
On Wednesday, many have gone on strike, heeding calls by Spain’s biggest unions for a nationwide walkout under the slogan: “Salarios, vivienda y precios” – or “wages, housing, and prices”.
asserted
many → go → slogan
Anger grew last month after the forcible eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from the Madrid flat where she had lived for the past seven decades.
asserted
she → grow → decades
Her corporate landlord had raised the rent to a level above her means.
asserted
landlord → raise → means
As the public outcry worsened, she died in hospital the day the property owners who had evicted her agreed to allow her to return to her home.
asserted
her → worsen → home
Recommended Stories
list of 4 items- list 1 of 4Europe’s wealth gap: Older households eight times richer than young ones
- list 2 of 4Police storm Portugal housing protest camp
- list 3 of 4‘What’s wrong with citizens taking to the streets with a Palestinian flag?’
- list 4 of 4Why
asserted
citizens → storm → flag
are Europe’s governments struggling to respond to growing protests?
asserted
governments → struggle → protests
To protect vulnerable renters, the government presented two emergency decrees to parliament, but these were defeated by right-wing parties.
asserted
these → protect → parties
Spain’s left-wing coalition government called a snap election for November 29, hoping to capitalise on anger over the housing crisis to rally voters as Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had trailed in the polls to the conservative People’s Party and the far-right Vox party.
asserted
Sanchez → call → Party
Against this backdrop, the Bank of Spain has said the country has a shortage of 750,000 homes, but this figure could rise to 1 million by next year.
uncertain
figure → say → year
Al Jazeera spoke to several protesters about their demands:
‘I still live with my parents as housing is so expensive’
asserted
housing → speak → parents
Haris Javaid Sharif, 24, a data analyst, lives with his parents, brother and sister in a 44sq-metre (474-foot) flat in Barcelona.
asserted
Sharif → live → Barcelona
Sharif earns $1,900 per month net.
asserted
Sharif → earn → net
The family pay $745 for their rented flat, of which he pays half.
asserted
he → pay → half
He still lives with his parents as average rental prices for a three-bedroom flat in Barcelona range between $954 and $1,684.
asserted
prices → live → 954
“After the pandemic, we were evicted from our flat because we owed five months rent.
asserted
we → evict → rent
My father and I could not work because of the pandemic.
uncertain
father → work → pandemic
When we got the 2,500 euros ($2,800), the owner did not want to negotiate and we lost our home.
asserted
we → get → home
“We went 11 months without work and we lived in two-room accommodation.
asserted
we → go → accommodation
I thought it only happens to vulnerable people, but it can happen to anyone.
asserted
it → think → anyone
“I still live with my parents as housing is so expensive.
asserted
housing → live → parents
I am joining the strike to try to press these politicians.
asserted
I → join → politicians
I speak to people who don’t see themselves buying a house in 10 years’ time.
asserted
themselves → speak → time
‘We are worried our landlord might kick us out’
uncertain
landlord → worry → us
Bea Garcia de la Torre, 32, who works for a foundation in Madrid, shares a 70sq-metre (753sq-foot) flat with her brother.
asserted
who → work → brother
They pay $1,229 per month in rent.
asserted
They → pay → rent
She earns $2,400 per month.
asserted
She → earn → month
There are some people who have to pay half their monthly wages in rent.
asserted
who → be → rent
My brother and I share the rent, but the landlord is trying to get us to pay for the central heating, which is something which should be paid for by the community.
asserted
which → share → community
We are also worried that he might put up the rent to an astronomical amount or kick us out.
uncertain
he → worry → us
“I will join this general strike because it is a good chance to change the housing policy in this country, just like we did with a similar action and won the right to an eight-hour day.”
asserted
we → join → day
‘The landlord could push up the rent or just get rid of us’
Iratxe Gonzalez, 27, a social worker, shares a flat in Madrid with three other people.
uncertain
Gonzalez → push → people
She earns $1,200 per month, of which she pays $400 in rent for the flat of 45sq metres (484sq foot).
asserted
she → earn → metres
“I needed to leave my parents’ home, but the flat is very small, and we only have a short-term contract of one year.
asserted
we → need → year
The landlord could push up the rent or just get rid of us.
uncertain
landlord → push → us
I feel this is an issue which is important for every young person in Spain right now.”
asserted
which → feel → Spain
‘The average for leaving home in Spain is 30 years old’
asserted
average → leave → Spain
Ignacio Redrado, a 32-year-old teacher who could only afford to leave home when he was 26, earns $2,245 and pays $337 in rent per month.
uncertain
he → afford → month
He shares a cramped flat in Madrid with four others, which measures 60 sq metres (646sq feet).
asserted
which → share → metres
They pay $1,067 per month in rent.
asserted
They → pay → rent
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
