Valencia housing protest 2026: what happened and why?

On Saturday 3 October 2026, 6,000 people marched through central Valencia for the right to housing, according to Spain's Government Delegation, one day after the Spanish Congress voted down two government housing decrees. The march ended in clashes outside the Palau de les Arts. The same weekend, housing protests were called in more than 50 Spanish cities. Since the evening of the march, an encampment has occupied Valencia's Plaza del Ayuntamiento: more than 250 people and more than 100 tents on Sunday evening, according to valenciaplaza.com (04/10/2026), about 400 tents and 600 people on 6 October, according to the encampment itself (Última Hora, 06/10/2026), about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people according to estimates from 7 and 9 October (7Tele Valencia, El Debate, 09/10/2026), then more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people according to the organisers (Infobae, 09/10/2026). On 5 October, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dissolved Parliament and called a snap general election for 29 November 2026 (Vozpópuli, El Español, 05/10/2026). The two re-approved housing decrees are due to be put to a validation vote by the Diputación Permanente of the Congress on Friday 16 October 2026 (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026); according to Idealista (07/10/2026), the Basque party PNV, whose vote is decisive, will back the first decree but reject the second, so only the first is assured of passing. A general strike over housing has been set for Wednesday 11 November 2026 (que.es, 07/10/2026). On Wednesday 7 October, Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction in Madrid triggered the national wave of housing protests, died in hospital (EFE via ABC Color, CNN Español, Infobae, Telemadrid, 07-08/10/2026). On the evening of 8 October, about 20,000 people, according to the press, marched in Madrid from the Puerta del Sol to her former home (El Español, 08/10/2026), where the encampment now exceeds 2,000 tents (MDZ Online, 09/10/2026). On 8 October, Valencia City Council suspended the traditional 9 d'Octubre mascletà, which the Government Delegation had judged not viable for security reasons because of the encampment, a first for the holiday (Libertad Digital, 08/10/2026); the other 9 d'Octubre ceremonies went ahead on 9 October on a rearranged route (7Tele Valencia, 09/10/2026), under a reinforced police operation and without major incidents (Actualidad Valencia, 09/10/2026). On Sunday 11 October, the Málaga encampment in the Plaza de la Constitución was lifted after almost two weeks, to focus on preparing the general strike (101TV, Andalucía Información, 11/10/2026).

Updated 11 October 2026 at 18:41 (Valencia time). This page is updated as the story develops.

Correction (4 October 2026): this page first reported 1 arrest after the Valencia march (ValenciaNews, 03/10/2026). According to Infobae/EFE (04/10/2026), 5 people were arrested. The figure has been corrected throughout, with the initial figure left visible.

Correction (7 October 2026): this page listed the Barcelona march on Saturday 3 October at 18:00 (eleconomista.es, eldiario.es, 03/10/2026). According to CNN Español and Infobae/EFE (05/10/2026), it was postponed to Monday 5 October because of a red alert for rain. The date has been corrected throughout, with the initial date left visible.

Figure update (8 October 2026): this page reported the Valencia encampment at more than 250 people and more than 100 tents on 4 October (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026). On 6 October, the encampment itself announced about 400 tents and 600 people (Última Hora, 06/10/2026). Both figures are shown, with their source and date.

Figure update (8 October 2026, 18:41): this page reported the Puerta del Sol encampment in Madrid at more than 1,000 tents (Madrid Actual, 07/10/2026). According to EFE (via ABC Color, 08/10/2026), it now exceeds 1,200 tents. Both figures are shown, with their source and date.

Figure update (9 October 2026, 08:41): this page reported the Valencia encampment at more than 250 people and more than 100 tents on 4 October (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026), then about 400 tents and 600 people on 6 October, according to the encampment itself (Última Hora, 06/10/2026). According to estimates from 7 and 9 October reported by 7Tele Valencia and El Debate (09/10/2026), it now has about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people. All figures are shown, with their source and date.

Figure update (9 October 2026, 18:41): this page reported the Puerta del Sol encampment in Madrid at more than 1,000 tents (Madrid Actual, 07/10/2026), then more than 1,200 tents (EFE via ABC Color, 08/10/2026). According to MDZ Online (09/10/2026), it now exceeds 2,000 tents. All figures are shown, with their source and date.

Figure update (10 October 2026, 08:41): this page reported the Valencia encampment at more than 250 people and more than 100 tents on 4 October (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026), then about 400 tents and 600 people on 6 October, according to the encampment itself (Última Hora, 06/10/2026), then about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people according to estimates from 7 and 9 October (7Tele Valencia, El Debate, 09/10/2026). According to Infobae (09/10/2026), the organisers now claim more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people. All figures are shown, with their source and date.

Clarification (11 October 2026, 18:41): this page reported that the 35 votes held by PSOE, Sumar, PNV and the left-wing groups in the Diputación Permanente made validation of the two re-approved decrees possible without Junts (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026). According to a further Idealista report (07/10/2026), the PNV will back only the first decree and reject the second, so only the first is assured of passing. Both pieces of information are shown, with their source and date.

Valencia housing protest 2026: what happened, day by day?

Most recent first. All times are local (Spain).

Sunday 11 October 2026

• Málaga, encampment lifted: the housing encampment in the Plaza de la Constitución is lifted ("desacampada") after almost two weeks in place, so that protesters can concentrate their efforts on preparing the 11 November general strike. The strike committee will continue to meet in the square on Mondays (101TV, Andalucía Información, 11/10/2026). The lifting had been announced on 8 October by Rosa Galindo, spokesperson for Un Techo por Derecho (101TV, 08/10/2026).

Friday 9 October 2026

• Valencia, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, organisers' figure: the encampment has kept growing since it was set up; its organisers now claim more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people (Infobae, 09/10/2026). ValenciaPlaza and Diario Socialista also report more than 500 tents and, according to the organisers, 1,300 to more than 1,500 people (ValenciaPlaza, Diario Socialista, 09/10/2026). Previous figures published on this page: more than 250 people and more than 100 tents on 4 October (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026), about 400 tents and 600 people on 6 October according to the encampment (Última Hora, 06/10/2026), about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people according to estimates from 7 and 9 October (7Tele Valencia, El Debate, 09/10/2026).
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol, "No habrá más Maricármenes": the encampment, above 2,000 tents, reaches as far as shop entrances in Calle Preciados and Calle Arenal. Protesters have adopted the slogan "No habrá más Maricármenes" (there will be no more Maricarmens), in reference to Maricarmen Abascal, whose death on 7 October, almost two weeks after her eviction, intensified the mobilisation (MDZ Online with AFP/EFE, Infobae, 09/10/2026).
• Valencia, security operation around the civic procession: the Procesión Cívica of the Senyera takes place without the mascletà and without major incidents; the only incident reported is a group of hooded people booing left-wing politicians. The Plaza del Ayuntamiento is cordoned off, with about 500 additional officers and at least 13 National Police vans deployed around it (Actualidad Valencia, 09/10/2026).
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol, figure update: the encampment has kept growing and now exceeds 2,000 tents, still spilling into the adjacent Calle Preciados and Calle Arenal (MDZ Online, 09/10/2026). Previous figures published on this page: more than 1,000 tents (Madrid Actual, 07/10/2026), then more than 1,200 tents (EFE via ABC Color, 08/10/2026).
• Valencia, 9 d'Octubre ceremonies: the official ceremonies of the Comunitat Valenciana's regional holiday take place despite the encampment in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. They include the civic procession and the floral offering to Jaume I, with the sword attributed to the king on display for the first time in 50 years, to mark the 750th anniversary of his death, as well as a Te Deum in the cathedral. The Dansà is moved near the Vinatea sculpture, on the same square. The route was rearranged after negotiation between the authorities and the campers, and no major incident is reported (7Tele Valencia, 09/10/2026). There is no mascletà this year (see Thursday 8 October).
• Valencia, Plaza del Ayuntamiento, figure update: the encampment has about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people, according to estimates from 7 and 9 October (7Tele Valencia, El Debate, 09/10/2026). Previous figures published on this page: more than 250 people and more than 100 tents on 4 October (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026), then about 400 tents and 600 people on 6 October, according to the encampment itself (Última Hora, 06/10/2026). (Update: more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people according to the organisers, Infobae, 09/10/2026, see above.)

Thursday 8 October 2026

• Evening, Madrid, march for Maricarmen: in response to the death of Maricarmen Abascal, the Sindicato de Inquilinas calls a 4 km march from the Puerta del Sol encampment to her former home, at number 46 Calle Alcalde Sainz de Baranda. About 20,000 people take part according to the press; marchers chant, among other slogans, that these were not deaths but murders (El Español, 08/10/2026).
• Valencia, mascletà suspended: the Government Delegation judges the 9 d'Octubre mascletà not viable for security reasons because of the encampment in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Valencia City Council officially suspends the traditional pyrotechnic display, a first in the history of the holiday (Libertad Digital, 08/10/2026). ValenciaPlaza and COPE also report the City Council's confirmation that the mascletà will not be fired, after the Government Delegation judged it incompatible with the encampment (ValenciaPlaza, COPE, 08/10/2026). Actualidad Valencia and Comarcal CV likewise report the cancellation for security reasons, with the square occupied by the encampment (Actualidad Valencia, Comarcal CV, 08/10/2026).
• Valencia, City Council considers legal action: the City Council's legal service, through Security councillor Jesús Carbonell, is studying legal action against the Government Delegation led by Pilar Bernabé, which it accuses of inaction during the first days of the encampment. The City Council stresses that it never asked for the encampment to be cleared, only for security guarantees for the 9 October events (El Español, 08/10/2026). According to ValenciaPlaza and COPE, the City Council, led by mayor María José Catalá, is considering a court challenge against the decision to suspend the mascletà (ValenciaPlaza, COPE, 08/10/2026).
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol, the court's reasoning: in its Auto 373/2026 of 7 October, the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid explains its second rejection of the request to clear the encampment: administrative inaction by the Government Delegation cannot be legally established until a three-month period has elapsed. The Community of Madrid is studying a new appeal (Estrella Digital, Telemadrid, 08/10/2026).
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol, figure update: the encampment now exceeds 1,200 tents, according to EFE (via ABC Color, 08/10/2026). On 7 October, this page reported more than 1,000 tents (Madrid Actual, 07/10/2026). (Update: more than 2,000 tents on 9 October according to MDZ Online, see Friday 9 October.)
• Málaga: the Plaza de la Constitución encampment, active since 28 September, will be lifted on Sunday 11 October. Rosa Galindo, spokesperson for Un Techo por Derecho, explains that the protesters choose to focus their efforts on preparing the 11 November general strike rather than maintain the camp (101TV, 08/10/2026). (Update: encampment lifted on 11 October, see Sunday 11 October.)
• New protest called for Friday 9 October: in response to the death of Maricarmen Abascal, housing groups call a protest on Friday 9 October under the slogan "La vivienda nos cuesta la vida" (housing is costing us our lives). Our source does not specify the cities or times (101TV, 08/10/2026).

Wednesday 7 October 2026

• Re-approved decrees, PNV position: ahead of the 16 October Diputación Permanente vote, the Basque party PNV, whose vote is decisive, will support the first decree, described by Idealista as protecting tenants and small landlords, but reject the second, described as extending rental contracts indefinitely. Only the first decree is therefore assured of passing (Idealista, 07/10/2026).
• Re-approved decrees, vote date: the Diputación Permanente of the Congress of Deputies will vote on the validation of the two re-approved housing decrees on Friday 16 October 2026, at the same session as the decrees on the war in Iran and on DANA flood aid for Valencia. In this body, PSOE, Sumar, PNV and the left-wing groups total 35 votes, against 34 for PP, Vox and Junts, which makes validation possible this time without Junts' support (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026). (Update: according to Idealista, the PNV will back only the first decree, see above.)
• Death of Maricarmen Abascal: the 87-year-old woman whose eviction in Madrid on 23 September triggered the national wave of housing protests dies at the Gregorio Marañón hospital, where she had been admitted on the day of her eviction. She had lived in the same home for more than 70 years, and her rent had risen from €500 to €2,650. An agreement had been reached to let her move back into her home once discharged from hospital, but the solution came too late. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez offered his condolences to her family on X (EFE via ABC Color, CNN Español, Infobae, 07-08/10/2026). According to Telemadrid, her home was in Calle Alcalde Sainz de Baranda, she had been admitted as an emergency for acute anxiety and exhaustion, and she died without being able to return home (Telemadrid, 07/10/2026).
• Valencia, security for 9 d'Octubre: the Government Delegation confirms that a joint National Police and Local Police security operation will be deployed on 9 October so that the official festivities can coexist with the encampment remaining in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Several local media (Vozpópuli, 7Televalencia, ActualidadCastellón) report that the traditional 9 d'Octubre mascletà cannot be fired if the protesters occupy the space needed by the pyrotechnicians, as Pilar Bernabé has refused to relocate them (Vozpópuli, 07/10/2026). (Update: the mascletà was suspended on 8 October, see Thursday 8 October.)
• General strike date set: the general strike over housing is officially set for Wednesday 11 November 2026. The agreement brings together CCOO, UGT, CGT and the Confederation of Sindicatos de Inquilinas (CSI, which includes the Sindicat de Llogateres), as well as other minority unions and tenants' platforms. It will be the first joint CCOO-UGT general strike since 2012, scheduled two days before the official start of the campaign for the 29 November general election (que.es, 07/10/2026).
• Valencia, 9 d'Octubre: the central government's delegate in the Comunitat Valenciana, Pilar Bernabé, rules out any forced police removal of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento encampment for 9 d'Octubre, considering that the security and social coexistence conditions required for a forced intervention are not met. Mayor María José Catalá, for her part, is keeping the 9 October festivities, including the mascletà, without moving them (Moncloa.com, 07/10/2026). (Update: the mascletà was suspended on 8 October, see Thursday 8 October.)
• Valencia, counter-protest called: a far-right group, named as Núcleo Nacional or Patriam depending on the source, calls a counter-protest for Thursday 8 October at 18:00 in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, on the site of the encampment. The City Council mentions a possible court action to regulate it (elperiodic.com, 07/10/2026).
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol, Government Delegation: in addition to the two court rejections, the Government Delegation in Madrid itself rejects Ayuso's request to dismantle the encampment. The Abogacía del Estado found that physical coercion of the campers would risk violent incidents and damage, creating more public safety problems than it would solve (Infobae, 07/10/2026).
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol, size: the encampment now exceeds 1,000 tents and has spread beyond the square itself, with new tents in the adjacent Calle Preciados and Calle Arenal (Madrid Actual, 07/10/2026). (Update: more than 1,200 tents on 8 October according to EFE, see Thursday 8 October, then more than 2,000 tents on 9 October according to MDZ Online, see Friday 9 October.)
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol: on the encampment's 11th day, the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid rejects, for the second time, the emergency request to clear it filed by the Community of Madrid, led by Isabel Díaz Ayuso (Infobae/EFE, 07/10/2026). (Update: the reasoning of this ruling, Auto 373/2026, was reported on 8 October, see Thursday 8 October.)

Tuesday 6 October 2026

• Valencia, Plaza del Ayuntamiento: the encampment announces about 400 tents and 600 people mobilised in the square. It says it fears an attempt at repression or a planned eviction on Thursday 8 October, calls for solidarity and rules out any violent response on its part (Última Hora, 06/10/2026). Figure update: on 4 October, this page reported more than 250 people and more than 100 tents (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026); the new figure is the encampment's own count. (Update: about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people according to estimates from 7 and 9 October, then more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people according to the organisers, see Friday 9 October.)
• Council of Ministers: the government re-approves the two housing decrees rejected by Congress on 2 October, with minor changes. As Parliament has been dissolved, the texts must go before the Diputación Permanente, the body that keeps working between the dissolution and the new Parliament. The opposition challenges this route on legal grounds (MDZ via EFE, 06/10/2026). Our sources do not detail the changes made to the texts. (Update: the Diputación Permanente vote is set for Friday 16 October, and the PNV will back only the first decree, see Wednesday 7 October.)
• Andalusia: housing encampments now also stand in Seville (Plaza de la Encarnación, more than 120 tents, 250 to 300 people a night) and Málaga (Plaza de la Constitución, about 150 tents). The Granada encampment has doubled in three days and now exceeds 100 tents. In Almería and Córdoba, there are street gatherings but no permanent camp (Moncloa.com, 06/10/2026). (Update: the Málaga encampment was lifted on Sunday 11 October, see Sunday 11 October.)

Monday 5 October 2026

• Snap general election: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dissolves the Cortes (Spain's Parliament) and calls an early general election for Sunday 29 November 2026, after Congress rejected the government's two housing decrees on 2 October (Vozpópuli, El Español, 05/10/2026).
• Granada, Málaga and Seville: the encampments decide in assembly to stay despite the election call, arguing that their demands are not made obsolete by the vote (Última Hora, 05/10/2026).
• General strike: CCOO and UGT, Spain's two main trade unions, are calling a 24-hour general strike this autumn over housing and wages. The Sindicato de Inquilinas proposes Wednesday 11 November; the unions have not confirmed that date (Infobae/EFE, 05/10/2026). (Update: date confirmed on 7 October, see Wednesday 7 October.)
• Barcelona: a large housing march calls for a general strike. 120,000 people according to the Sindicat de Llogateres (tenants' union), 20,000 according to Barcelona City Council. The march had been postponed from Saturday 3 October because of a red alert for rain (CNN Español, Infobae/EFE, 05/10/2026).
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol: first rejection by the courts of the Community of Madrid's emergency request to clear the encampment (reported by Infobae/EFE, 07/10/2026).
• Outcome of the court appearance for the 5 detainees: the judge releases the 5 people arrested after the incidents at the Palau de les Arts pending trial, without precautionary measures. They remain under investigation for public disorder, damage, assault and causing injuries (El Debate, Infobae, 05/10/2026).
• Court appearance expected for the 5 detainees: the 5 people arrested after the incidents at the Palau de les Arts are due to appear before a judge this Monday (Infobae/EFE, 04/10/2026). As of 07:55, our newsroom had found no reliable report of the outcome (release, charges or any other decision). (Update: outcome reported later the same day, see above.)
• Valencia, Plaza del Ayuntamiento: the encampment begins its third day. The square is due to host the official 9 d'Octubre ceremonies on Friday, a tension flagged by valenciaplaza.com (04/10/2026).

Sunday 4 October 2026

• Evening, Valencia: the Plaza del Ayuntamiento encampment has more than 250 people and more than 100 tents. It is organised by assembly and claims to be politically neutral. The source points out that the square is due to host the official ceremonies of 9 d'Octubre, the Comunitat Valenciana's regional holiday (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026, 21:35).
• Correction on arrests in Valencia: 5 people were arrested after the incidents at the Palau de les Arts, where barriers, paving stones and pyrotechnics were thrown, and are due to appear before a judge on Monday 5 October. Initial figure: 1 arrest (ValenciaNews, 3 October), corrected to 5 people arrested on 4 October according to Infobae/EFE. The 9 injured police officers are confirmed by this second source (Infobae/EFE, 04/10/2026).
• Morning, Valencia: the encampment set up on Saturday evening in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento spends its first night in place. It counts about 100 tents and more than 200 people, mostly aged 20 to 30. Its assembly votes to stay "indefinitely". The movement is spontaneous: the Sindicato de Inquilinas supports it but does not organise it (Infobae/EFE, 04/10/2026).
• Oviedo: a demonstration is announced for this Sunday; its time and route have not been verified in our sources (Infobae, 04/10/2026).
• 12:00, Bilbao: march scheduled at Plaza Elíptica (eleconomista.es, eldiario.es, 03/10/2026).

Saturday 3 October 2026

• After 22:00, Granada: an encampment is set up on the esplanade of the Palacio de Congresos, with the aim of staying indefinitely. Sources differ on its size: just over 30 tents according to eldiario.es, 60 according to Infobae (eldiario.es, Infobae, 04/10/2026).
• 19:00 to 22:00, Granada: demonstration called by the Sindicato de Vivienda de Granada, with 10,000 to 12,000 participants depending on the source (the National Police and the Local Police give different figures) (eldiario.es, Infobae, 04/10/2026).
• Evening, Oviedo: a solidarity gathering of just over 500 people, after 3 people were arrested overnight from Friday to Saturday for assaults on campers (Infobae, 04/10/2026).
• After the march, political reactions in Valencia: the PP (centre-right) accuses the "radical left" of sowing violence; Podemos (left) demands explanations about the orders given to the police (details below; Última Hora and ValenciaNews, 03/10/2026).
• After the march: around 200 people settle in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the city hall square (ValenciaNews, El Debate, 03/10/2026). This is the start of the encampment that stayed in place on the following days (see Sunday 4 October).
• End of the route, outside the Palau de les Arts: police charges, barriers knocked over, rubber bullets and tear gas used; 9 National Police officers injured (ValenciaNews, 03/10/2026). Arrests: 1 according to the initial report (ValenciaNews, 03/10/2026), corrected to 5 on 4 October (Infobae/EFE, 04/10/2026).
• During the day: the Sindicato de Inquilinas announces a general strike over housing, without a date; the CEOE calls it illegal (que.es, Infobae, 03/10/2026).
• 19:00, Seville: rally at Las Setas de la Encarnación (eleconomista.es, eldiario.es).
• 18:00, Barcelona (date corrected): march announced from Plaça d'Espanya, joined by five feeder marches from Terrassa, Badalona, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Sitges and Castelldefels (eleconomista.es, eldiario.es). Correction (7 October): the march was postponed to Monday 5 October because of a red alert for rain (CNN Español, Infobae/EFE, 05/10/2026); see Monday 5 October.
• 12:00, Madrid: 70,000 people according to the Government Delegation, 500,000 according to the Sindicato de Inquilinas (eldiario.es, Moncloa.com, 03/10/2026).
• 11:00, Valencia: the march sets off from Porta de la Mar (between Colón and Alameda metro stations) and ends outside the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía. 6,000 people according to the Government Delegation (El Periódico de Aquí, El Debate, ValenciaNews, 03/10/2026).
• Same day: protests also called in Alicante and Castellón (actualidadvalencia.com); times not yet verified by our newsroom.

Friday 2 October 2026

• Congress of Deputies: the government's two housing decrees are voted down (Moncloa.com, 02/10/2026).
• Government response: Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez says her government "continuará luchando" (will keep fighting) (cronista.com, 02-03/10/2026).
• Oviedo: the Sindicato de Inquilinas and the Sindicatu de Vivienda d'Asturies call a gathering in the Plaza de la Escandalera and announce an encampment (Infobae, 02/10/2026).
• Madrid, Puerta del Sol: the judge hearing the Community of Madrid's request to clear the encampment refers it to the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid, the region's high court (eldiario.es, 02/10/2026).

Thursday 1 October 2026

• Madrid, Puerta del Sol: Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid, announces she will ask the courts for emergency measures to clear the encampment, which she calls illegal (Infobae, 01/10/2026).

Monday 28 September 2026

• Málaga: start of the housing encampment in the Plaza de la Constitución (date reported by 101TV, 08/10/2026).

Saturday 26 September 2026

• Night, Madrid, Puerta del Sol: an encampment begins, triggered by the eviction of "Maricarmen", an 87-year-old woman who had lived in her home for more than 70 years (Infobae, 01/10/2026; eldiario.es, 02/10/2026).

Wednesday 23 September 2026

• Madrid: Maricarmen Abascal, 87, is evicted from the home where she had lived for more than 70 years, after her rent rose from €500 to €2,650. She is admitted to the Gregorio Marañón hospital the same day (EFE via ABC Color, 08/10/2026). Her home was in Calle Alcalde Sainz de Baranda, and she was admitted as an emergency for acute anxiety and exhaustion (Telemadrid, 07/10/2026).

Where were the housing protests in Spain, and how many people turned out?

In Almería and Córdoba, housing gatherings have taken place in the street, with no permanent encampment (Moncloa.com, 06/10/2026). Other cities appear in the calls to protest, without detailed times in our sources: Málaga, Zaragoza, Palma, Valladolid, A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela. In total, more than 50 cities according to the Confederation of Sindicatos de Inquilinas (Tercera Información, 03/10/2026). A new protest has been called for Friday 9 October under the slogan "La vivienda nos cuesta la vida" (housing is costing us our lives), after the death of Maricarmen Abascal; our source does not list the cities or times (101TV, 08/10/2026). On the evening of 8 October, about 20,000 people, according to the press, marched in Madrid from the Puerta del Sol to Maricarmen Abascal's former home (El Español, 08/10/2026). On 11 October, the Málaga encampment was lifted, with its strike committee continuing to meet in the square on Mondays (101TV, Andalucía Información, 11/10/2026).

Why two figures for Madrid? The Government Delegation (the central government's office in each region) and the tenants' union each published their own estimate. The gap is large, so we show both side by side rather than pick one. The same applies to Barcelona, where the Sindicat de Llogateres and the City Council gave very different counts, to Granada, where the National Police and the Local Police gave different counts, and to the size of the Granada encampment, reported differently by eldiario.es and Infobae. For the Valencia encampment, we show the successive counts with their source and date: press counts on 4 October, the encampment's own figure on 6 October (about 400 tents and 600 people), estimates from 7 and 9 October (about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people, 7Tele Valencia and El Debate), then the organisers' claim reported on 9 October (more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people, Infobae; 1,300 to more than 1,500 people, ValenciaPlaza and Diario Socialista). The organisers' figure for people is more than double the estimates published the same day, so both are shown. For the Puerta del Sol encampment, we show the successive counts (more than 1,000 tents according to Madrid Actual on 7 October, more than 1,200 according to EFE on 8 October, more than 2,000 according to MDZ Online on 9 October) with their date.

Why are people protesting? Spain's housing crisis, seen from Valencia

The Valencia march was called by four groups: the Sindicat de Llogateres de València (Valencia tenants' union), the Sindicat d'Habitatge de València (housing union), Entrebarris (a neighbourhood network) and the Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca (PAH), the platform for people affected by mortgages (El Periódico de Aquí, 03/10/2026).

The slogans were "Pel dret a l'habitatge" (for the right to housing, in Valencian) and "Por el derecho a la vivienda, fuera especuladores y rentistas" (for the right to housing, out with speculators and landlords living off rents). Another rallying cry, "Ni una Maricarmen ni una Olga más", refers to Maricarmen, a pensioner evicted by an investment fund who has become a symbol of the movement nationwide (El Periódico de Aquí, 03/10/2026). Her eviction, at 87 and after more than 70 years in her home, triggered the Puerta del Sol encampment in Madrid on the night of 26 September (Infobae, 01/10/2026). Maricarmen Abascal was evicted on 23 September 2026, after her rent rose from €500 to €2,650, and was admitted to the Gregorio Marañón hospital the same day. She died there on Wednesday 7 October; an agreement to let her return to her home after leaving hospital came too late (EFE via ABC Color, CNN Español, Infobae, 07-08/10/2026). Her home was in Calle Alcalde Sainz de Baranda, in Madrid, and she had been admitted as an emergency for acute anxiety and exhaustion (Telemadrid, 07/10/2026). On the evening of 8 October, about 20,000 people, according to the press, walked the 4 km from the Puerta del Sol to her former home, at the call of the Sindicato de Inquilinas (El Español, 08/10/2026). At the Puerta del Sol, protesters have since adopted the slogan "No habrá más Maricármenes" (there will be no more Maricarmens) (MDZ Online with AFP/EFE, Infobae, 09/10/2026).

The route also had a symbolic target: the Valencia Real Estate Summit 2026, a property industry event held the same day, from 10:00 to 20:00, at the Palau de les Arts. The "more than 1,000 attendees" figure you may see quoted refers to that summit, not to the protest (El Periódico de Aquí, 03/10/2026).

Valencia rent prices 2026: what do the numbers say?

According to the property portal Idealista, average rent in the city of Valencia reached €16.3 per m² per month in July 2026. That is roughly €1,140 a month for a 70 m² flat (our own calculation).

So the city sits above both its own region and the national average. Idealista's report of 1 October 2026 also notes a slight dip in regional rents over the last quarter. For a full monthly budget by neighbourhood, see our guide to the cost of living in Valencia in 2026.

Valencia property prices 2026: what about buying?

The figures our newsroom has verified so far cover renting. Sale prices per m² (from Idealista, Fotocasa, INE, the Land Registry association Registradores and the Housing Ministry) will be added here, dated and sourced, in the next update.

What are protesters demanding, and what has been decided?

What did Congress vote on 2 October 2026?

Voting against: PP, Vox, Junts and UPN (Moncloa.com, 02/10/2026). Each group's detailed reasons for its vote have not yet been verified by our newsroom and will be added in the next update.

What has happened since the vote: snap election and re-approved decrees?

On 5 October 2026, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dissolved the Cortes and called an early general election for Sunday 29 November 2026, after Congress rejected the two housing decrees (Vozpópuli, El Español, 05/10/2026). On 6 October, the government re-approved both decrees with minor changes. With Parliament dissolved, the texts must now go before the Diputación Permanente, the body that keeps working until the new Parliament sits; the opposition challenges this mechanism on legal grounds (MDZ via EFE, 06/10/2026). The Diputación Permanente will vote on their validation on Friday 16 October 2026, at the same session as decrees on the war in Iran and on DANA flood aid for Valencia. In this body, PSOE, Sumar, PNV and the left-wing groups total 35 votes, against 34 for PP, Vox and Junts, which makes validation possible this time without Junts' support (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026). However, the Basque party PNV, whose vote is decisive, will support the first decree (described by Idealista as protecting tenants and small landlords) but reject the second (described as extending rental contracts indefinitely), so only the first decree is assured of passing (Idealista, 07/10/2026). As of 11 October 2026, that vote has not yet taken place. On 7 October, CCOO, UGT, CGT and the Confederation of Sindicatos de Inquilinas set a general strike over housing for Wednesday 11 November 2026, two days before the official start of the election campaign (que.es, 07/10/2026).

Who is saying what?

• Spanish government: after the vote, Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez told the right-wing groups "Han decidido ustedes ser la peor derecha de toda Europa" (you have chosen to be the worst right wing in all of Europe) and said her government "continuará luchando" (will keep fighting) (cronista.com, 02-03/10/2026). On 5 October, Pedro Sánchez called a snap general election for 29 November (Vozpópuli, El Español, 05/10/2026), and on 6 October the government re-approved both decrees (MDZ via EFE, 06/10/2026), which go to a Diputación Permanente vote on 16 October (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026). After the death of Maricarmen Abascal, Pedro Sánchez offered his condolences to her family on X (EFE via ABC Color, CNN Español, Infobae, 07-08/10/2026).
• PNV (Basque party): its vote is decisive in the Diputación Permanente; it will support the first re-approved decree, described by Idealista as protecting tenants and small landlords, and reject the second, described as extending rental contracts indefinitely (Idealista, 07/10/2026).
• Government Delegation in the Comunitat Valenciana: on 7 October, the delegate Pilar Bernabé ruled out any forced police removal of the Valencia encampment for 9 d'Octubre, saying the security and social coexistence conditions required for a forced intervention are not met (Moncloa.com, 07/10/2026). The Delegation also confirmed a joint National Police and Local Police security operation on 9 October so that the festivities and the encampment can coexist; according to several local media, Bernabé refused to relocate the protesters, which could prevent the mascletà from being fired (Vozpópuli, 07/10/2026). On 8 October, the Delegation judged the mascletà not viable for security reasons because of the encampment (Libertad Digital, 08/10/2026), or incompatible with the encampment, according to ValenciaPlaza and COPE (08/10/2026). On 9 October, about 500 additional officers and at least 13 National Police vans were deployed around the cordoned-off Plaza del Ayuntamiento (Actualidad Valencia, 09/10/2026).
• Government Delegation in Madrid: on 7 October, rejected Isabel Díaz Ayuso's request to dismantle the Puerta del Sol encampment; the Abogacía del Estado found that physical coercion of the campers would risk violent incidents and damage, creating more public safety problems than it would solve (Infobae, 07/10/2026).
• Opposition: challenges on legal grounds the use of the Diputación Permanente to validate the re-approved decrees (MDZ via EFE, 06/10/2026). PP, Vox and Junts hold 34 votes in that body, against 35 for PSOE, Sumar, PNV and the left-wing groups (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026).
• CCOO and UGT (trade unions): are calling a 24-hour general strike this autumn over housing and wages, with no date confirmed as of 5 October (Infobae/EFE, 05/10/2026). On 7 October, together with CGT, the Confederation of Sindicatos de Inquilinas (CSI) and other minority unions and tenants' platforms, they set the date for Wednesday 11 November 2026; it will be their first joint general strike since 2012 (que.es, 07/10/2026).
• Sindicato de Inquilinas: its Madrid spokesperson, Valeria Racu, expects a general strike "pronto" (soon) and says talks are under way with the major trade unions (Infobae, Moncloa.com, 03/10/2026). On 5 October, the union proposed Wednesday 11 November as the strike date (Infobae/EFE, 05/10/2026), a date confirmed on 7 October (que.es, 07/10/2026). The union supports the Valencia encampment but does not organise it (Infobae/EFE, 04/10/2026). On the evening of 8 October, after the death of Maricarmen Abascal, it called a 4 km march from the Puerta del Sol to her former home, joined by about 20,000 people according to the press (El Español, 08/10/2026).
• Sindicat de Llogateres (Barcelona): put turnout at the 5 October Barcelona march at 120,000 people, against 20,000 according to the City Council; the march called for a general strike (CNN Español, Infobae/EFE, 05/10/2026). As a member of the CSI, it is part of the 7 October agreement setting the strike for 11 November (que.es, 07/10/2026).
• Housing groups: after the death of Maricarmen Abascal, called a protest for Friday 9 October under the slogan "La vivienda nos cuesta la vida" (housing is costing us our lives) (101TV, 08/10/2026).
• Puerta del Sol protesters (Madrid): have adopted the slogan "No habrá más Maricármenes" (there will be no more Maricarmens), in reference to Maricarmen Abascal (MDZ Online with AFP/EFE, Infobae, 09/10/2026).
• Valencia encampment assembly: votes to stay "indefinitely" (Infobae/EFE, 04/10/2026) and claims to be politically neutral (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026). On 6 October, it announced about 400 tents and 600 people, said it feared an attempt at repression or a planned eviction on Thursday 8 October, called for solidarity and ruled out any violent response on its part (Última Hora, 06/10/2026). The route of the 9 October ceremonies was rearranged after negotiation between the authorities and the campers (7Tele Valencia, 09/10/2026). Its organisers now claim more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people (Infobae, 09/10/2026), or 1,300 to more than 1,500 people according to ValenciaPlaza and Diario Socialista (09/10/2026).
• Granada, Málaga and Seville encampment assemblies: voted to stay despite the election call, saying their demands are not made obsolete by it (Última Hora, 05/10/2026). The Málaga encampment was later lifted on 11 October (101TV, Andalucía Información, 11/10/2026).
• Un Techo por Derecho (Málaga): its spokesperson, Rosa Galindo, announced that the Málaga encampment will be lifted on Sunday 11 October so that protesters can focus on preparing the 11 November general strike (101TV, 08/10/2026). The encampment was lifted on 11 October; the strike committee will keep meeting in the Plaza de la Constitución on Mondays (101TV, Andalucía Información, 11/10/2026).
• CEOE (employers' federation): describes the announced strike as illegal (que.es, 03/10/2026).
• Community of Madrid: its president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso (PP), calls the Puerta del Sol encampment illegal and announced on 1 October that she would ask the courts for emergency measures to clear it (Infobae, 01/10/2026). The judge referred the request to the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid on 2 October (eldiario.es, 02/10/2026), which rejected it on 5 October and again on 7 October (Infobae/EFE, 07/10/2026). The Government Delegation in Madrid also rejected it on 7 October (Infobae, 07/10/2026). The Community of Madrid is now studying a new appeal (Estrella Digital, Telemadrid, 08/10/2026).
• Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid: in its Auto 373/2026 of 7 October, found that administrative inaction by the Government Delegation cannot be legally established before a three-month period has elapsed, and therefore rejected the request to clear the Puerta del Sol encampment for the second time (Estrella Digital, Telemadrid, 08/10/2026).
• Far-right group (Núcleo Nacional or Patriam, depending on the source): called a counter-protest against the encampment for Thursday 8 October at 18:00 in Valencia's Plaza del Ayuntamiento (elperiodic.com, 07/10/2026).
• PP in the Valencian parliament (Corts): Nieves Martínez, deputy spokesperson of the PP group, said "La izquierda radical siembra la violencia en las calles de València" (the radical left is sowing violence on the streets of València), "Quienes de verdad defienden la vivienda no atacan a quienes trabajan por garantizar la seguridad" (those who truly defend housing do not attack those who work to keep people safe) and "La violencia no es una reivindicación" (violence is not a demand) (Última Hora, 03/10/2026).
• Podemos: its secretary general, Ione Belarra, is demanding explanations about the orders given to the police; María Teresa Pérez, regional coordinator of Podem in the Comunitat Valenciana, said "aquesta violència no ens va a frenar" (this violence will not stop us) and called for a general strike (ValenciaNews, 03/10/2026).
• Valencian regional government (Generalitat) and Valencia City Council (Ajuntament): no public statement from regional president Pérez Llorca or from mayor María José Catalá found in the sources we consulted as of 4 October 2026. We will add it as soon as one is published. (Update, 7 October: mayor María José Catalá is keeping the 9 October festivities, including the mascletà, without moving them (Moncloa.com, 07/10/2026), and the City Council mentions a possible court action to regulate the counter-protest called for 8 October (elperiodic.com, 07/10/2026). Several local media report that the mascletà may not be able to be fired if the protesters occupy the space needed (Vozpópuli, 07/10/2026). Our sources still report no statement from Pérez Llorca.) (Update, 9 October: on 8 October, the City Council officially suspended the mascletà after the Government Delegation judged it not viable (Libertad Digital, 08/10/2026). Its legal service, through Security councillor Jesús Carbonell, is studying legal action against the Government Delegation led by Pilar Bernabé for inaction during the first days of the encampment; the City Council says it never asked for the encampment to be cleared, only for security guarantees for the 9 October events (El Español, 08/10/2026). Our sources still report no statement from Pérez Llorca.) (Update, 9 October, 18:41: according to ValenciaPlaza and COPE, the City Council led by María José Catalá is considering a court challenge against the decision to suspend the mascletà (ValenciaPlaza, COPE, 08/10/2026).)

What does this mean for you if you live in, or plan to move to, Valencia?

As of 11 October 2026, the two housing decrees rejected by Congress on 2 October have been re-approved by the government (6 October), but they still have to go before the Diputación Permanente, and the opposition contests that route (MDZ via EFE, 06/10/2026). That vote is set for Friday 16 October (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026); according to Idealista (07/10/2026), only the first decree is assured of passing, as the PNV will reject the second. A general strike over housing is set for 11 November (que.es, 07/10/2026) and a general election for 29 November 2026. Here is where things stand, depending on your situation.

If you rent in Valencia

The decree that would have extended leases expiring in 2026 was rejected by Congress on 2 October (Moncloa.com). The government re-approved it, with minor changes, on 6 October; it must now be examined by the Diputación Permanente, and the opposition challenges this procedure on legal grounds (MDZ via EFE, 06/10/2026). The Diputación Permanente is due to vote on it on Friday 16 October 2026 (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026). According to Idealista, the PNV, whose vote is decisive, will reject the second decree, described as extending rental contracts indefinitely, while supporting the first, described as protecting tenants and small landlords; only the first is assured of passing (Idealista, 07/10/2026). Our sources do not say how the changes affect tenants. If your lease ends this year, check your position with a lawyer or a tenants' association. For the practical side of finding a flat, see our guide to renting a flat in Valencia.

If you are a foreign buyer: has anything changed?

Not at this stage. The two decrees rejected on 2 October and re-approved on 6 October deal with evictions and leases, not with buying property. None of the texts and statements we reviewed as of 11 October 2026 contains a measure aimed specifically at foreign buyers.

If you are a landlord

The decree banning evictions of vulnerable households was rejected (178 votes against, 172 for), then re-approved by the government with minor changes on 6 October, pending examination by the Diputación Permanente (Moncloa.com, 02/10/2026; MDZ via EFE, 06/10/2026), which is due to vote on Friday 16 October (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026). According to Idealista, the PNV will support the first decree, described as protecting tenants and small landlords, and reject the second, described as extending rental contracts indefinitely (Idealista, 07/10/2026). The protesters' slogans explicitly target "especuladores y rentistas" (speculators and rent-seeking landlords), and CCOO and UGT, with CGT and the tenants' unions, have set a general strike over housing for Wednesday 11 November 2026 (que.es, 07/10/2026). For rental yield data, which is unrelated to this news, see our page on buy-to-let yields in Valencia (information, not advice).

If you run a holiday let

Neither of the two decrees put to Congress on 2 October concerned short-term or tourist rentals; our sources do not detail the minor changes made when they were re-approved on 6 October. No rule change on holiday lets linked to this news as of 11 October 2026.

Is Valencia a "stressed market" zone?

Whether Valencia is classified as a "zona de mercado residencial tensionado" (stressed residential market zone) is a topic we are following, but we have not yet verified an official source on it: the answer will be added here, dated and sourced, once confirmed.

Frequently asked questions

Why are people protesting about housing in Valencia?

To protest against high rents and property prices. The 3 October 2026 march, called by the Sindicat de Llogateres de València, the Sindicat d'Habitatge de València, Entrebarris and the PAH, marched under the slogan "Pel dret a l'habitatge" (for the right to housing), one day after Congress rejected two government housing decrees.

Who was Maricarmen, and what happened to her?

Maricarmen Abascal, 87, was evicted in Madrid on 23 September 2026 from the home where she had lived for more than 70 years, in Calle Alcalde Sainz de Baranda, after her rent rose from €500 to €2,650. Her eviction triggered the national wave of housing protests, starting with the Puerta del Sol encampment. She was admitted to the Gregorio Marañón hospital on the day of her eviction, as an emergency for acute anxiety and exhaustion (Telemadrid, 07/10/2026), and died there on Wednesday 7 October; an agreement to let her return to her home after leaving hospital came too late. Pedro Sánchez offered his condolences to her family on X (EFE via ABC Color, CNN Español, Infobae, 07-08/10/2026). On the evening of 8 October, about 20,000 people, according to the press, marched from the Puerta del Sol to her former home at the call of the Sindicato de Inquilinas (El Español, 08/10/2026). Housing groups have also called a protest for Friday 9 October under the slogan "La vivienda nos cuesta la vida" (101TV, 08/10/2026), and the Puerta del Sol protesters have adopted the slogan "No habrá más Maricármenes" (MDZ Online with AFP/EFE, Infobae, 09/10/2026).

How many people joined the Valencia housing protest on 3 October 2026?

6,000 people according to the Government Delegation (figure reported by ValenciaNews on 3 October 2026). The Valencia organisers had not released their own figure in the sources we consulted.

How many people were arrested after the Valencia housing protest?

5 people, according to Infobae/EFE (04/10/2026), after barriers, paving stones and pyrotechnics were thrown outside the Palau de les Arts. On Monday 5 October, the judge released all 5 pending trial, without precautionary measures; they remain under investigation for public disorder, damage, assault and causing injuries (El Debate, Infobae, 05/10/2026). The first report, by ValenciaNews on 3 October, gave 1 arrest: that figure was corrected on 4 October. 9 police officers were injured, a figure given by both sources.

Is there a housing encampment in Valencia's Plaza del Ayuntamiento?

Yes. It was set up on the evening of Saturday 3 October 2026, after the march. On Sunday evening it had more than 250 people and more than 100 tents (valenciaplaza.com, 04/10/2026); on 6 October, the encampment itself announced about 400 tents and 600 people (Última Hora, 06/10/2026); estimates from 7 and 9 October put it at about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people (7Tele Valencia, El Debate, 09/10/2026), while its organisers claim more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people (Infobae, 09/10/2026; 1,300 to more than 1,500 according to ValenciaPlaza and Diario Socialista, 09/10/2026). Its assembly voted to stay "indefinitely"; the movement is spontaneous, supported but not organised by the Sindicato de Inquilinas (Infobae/EFE, 04/10/2026). On 7 October, the Government Delegation ruled out a forced police removal for 9 d'Octubre (Moncloa.com, 07/10/2026) and confirmed a joint National Police and Local Police security operation for that day (Vozpópuli, 07/10/2026). On 8 October, the City Council suspended the 9 d'Octubre mascletà, judged not viable by the Government Delegation because of the encampment (Libertad Digital, 08/10/2026), and said it was studying legal action against the Delegation for inaction (El Español, 08/10/2026) and considering a court challenge to the mascletà decision (ValenciaPlaza, COPE, 08/10/2026). Similar encampments stand in Madrid (more than 2,000 tents at Puerta del Sol according to MDZ Online, 09/10/2026, up from more than 1,200 according to EFE, 08/10/2026, and more than 1,000 according to Madrid Actual, 07/10/2026), Granada, Seville and Oviedo. The Málaga encampment was lifted on 11 October, with its strike committee continuing to meet in the square on Mondays (101TV, Andalucía Información, 11/10/2026).

Is there a general strike over housing in Spain, and when?

Yes: on Wednesday 11 November 2026. The date was officially set on 7 October by CCOO, UGT, CGT and the Confederation of Sindicatos de Inquilinas (CSI, which includes the Sindicat de Llogateres), with other minority unions and tenants' platforms. It will be the first joint CCOO-UGT general strike since 2012, two days before the official start of the campaign for the 29 November election (que.es, 07/10/2026). Earlier, on 5 October, CCOO and UGT had announced a 24-hour general strike this autumn over housing and wages, and the Sindicato de Inquilinas had proposed 11 November, a date the unions had not yet confirmed (Infobae/EFE, 05/10/2026). On 4 October, no date had been set; the employers' federation CEOE had already called the strike illegal (que.es, 03/10/2026). In Málaga, protesters lifted their encampment on 11 October to concentrate on preparing the strike (101TV, Andalucía Información, 11/10/2026).

What did Spain's Congress vote on housing in October 2026?

On 2 October 2026, the Congress of Deputies rejected two government decrees: a ban on evicting vulnerable households (178 against, 172 for) and an extension of leases expiring in 2026 (184 against, 166 for). PP, Vox, Junts and UPN voted against, according to Moncloa.com. The government re-approved both decrees with minor changes on 6 October; they must now go before the Diputación Permanente (MDZ via EFE, 06/10/2026), which will vote on them on Friday 16 October 2026. In that body, PSOE, Sumar, PNV and the left-wing groups hold 35 votes against 34 for PP, Vox and Junts, so the decrees could be validated this time without Junts (El Diario, Idealista News, 07/10/2026). However, the PNV will support only the first decree and reject the second, so only the first is assured of passing (Idealista, 07/10/2026).

Is there a snap general election in Spain?

Yes. On 5 October 2026, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dissolved the Cortes and called an early general election for Sunday 29 November 2026, after Congress rejected the two housing decrees on 2 October (Vozpópuli, El Español, 05/10/2026). The Granada, Málaga and Seville encampments voted to stay despite the announcement (Última Hora, 05/10/2026).

How much is rent in Valencia in 2026?

According to Idealista, average rent in Valencia city was €16.3 per m² per month in July 2026, roughly €1,140 a month for a 70 m² flat. The regional average for the Comunitat Valenciana was €13.2 per m² in September 2026 (+6.0% year on year), against €15.1 for Spain as a whole.

Will property prices go down in Valencia?

None of the sources we consulted publishes a forecast of falling prices. The latest available figures show high rents: €16.3 per m² per month in Valencia city in July 2026 according to Idealista, and €13.2 per m² for the Comunitat Valenciana in September 2026 (+6.0% year on year), with a slight regional dip over the last quarter.

Is now a good time to buy in Valencia?

We do not give investment advice. What we can say as of 11 October 2026: no measure specifically targeting property purchases by foreigners has been adopted, the two decrees rejected on 2 October and re-approved on 6 October deal with evictions and leases and go to a Diputación Permanente vote on 16 October, a general strike over housing is set for 11 November, a general election is set for 29 November, and the housing movement is announcing further protests.

Are the housing protests a problem for visitors to Valencia?

The 3 October 2026 march followed an announced route from Porta de la Mar to the Palau de les Arts, and the clashes reported took place at the end of that route. Since that evening, an encampment has occupied the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the main city hall square (more than 250 people and more than 100 tents on 4 October, according to valenciaplaza.com; about 400 tents and 600 people on 6 October, according to the encampment, reported by Última Hora; about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people according to estimates from 7 and 9 October, reported by 7Tele Valencia and El Debate; more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people according to the organisers, reported by Infobae on 9 October). A far-right group called a counter-protest in the same square on Thursday 8 October at 18:00 (elperiodic.com, 07/10/2026). For 9 d'Octubre, the Government Delegation ruled out a forced police removal of the encampment (Moncloa.com, 07/10/2026) and planned a joint National Police and Local Police security operation (Vozpópuli, 07/10/2026). The traditional mascletà was suspended on 8 October, after the Government Delegation judged it not viable for security reasons, a first for the holiday (Libertad Digital, 08/10/2026). The other ceremonies (civic procession, floral offering to Jaume I, Te Deum in the cathedral, Dansà moved near the Vinatea sculpture) went ahead on 9 October on a route rearranged after negotiation with the campers, with no major incident reported (7Tele Valencia, 09/10/2026). The square was cordoned off, with about 500 additional officers and at least 13 National Police vans deployed; the only incident reported during the civic procession was a group of hooded people booing left-wing politicians (Actualidad Valencia, 09/10/2026). A new housing protest has been called for Friday 9 October, without cities or times specified in our source (101TV, 08/10/2026). A general strike over housing is set for Wednesday 11 November 2026 (que.es, 07/10/2026). This page will be updated as the situation develops.

Sources

Facts cross-checked by our newsroom between 2 and 11 October 2026. Quotes are given in their original language, with our English rendering in brackets.

• 101TV / Andalucía Información, Málaga lifts its housing encampment on Sunday to focus on the general strike; the strike committee will keep meeting in the square on Mondays, 11/10/2026 (article first published on 08/10/2026): read the article
• ValenciaPlaza / Diario Socialista, young people camp in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento after the housing march: more than 500 tents and 1,300 to more than 1,500 people according to the organisers, 09/10/2026: read the article
• Infobae, updated report on the housing encampments in Valencia, Oviedo and Granada: Valencia organisers claim more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people, 09/10/2026 (article first published on 04/10/2026): read the article
• MDZ Online (AFP/EFE) / Infobae, the housing encampment overflows Madrid's Puerta del Sol (more than 2,000 tents, as far as shop entrances; slogan "No habrá más Maricármenes"), 09/10/2026: read the article
• Actualidad Valencia, the 9 d'Octubre civic procession in Valencia held without incidents, under a reinforced police operation, 09/10/2026: read the article
• 7Tele Valencia, 9 d'Octubre in Valencia: Jaume I's sword, without a mascletà; encampment estimates of 7 and 9 October (also reported by El Debate), 09/10/2026: read the article
• Actualidad Valencia / Comarcal CV, the 9 d'Octubre mascletà suspended in Valencia because of the housing encampment, 08/10/2026: read the article
• El Español, death of Maricarmen: reactions, tributes and the march from the Puerta del Sol to her former home, 08/10/2026: read the live coverage
• ValenciaPlaza / COPE, Valencia City Council confirms that the 9 d'Octubre mascletà will not be fired because of the encampment, 08/10/2026: read the article
• COPE, the 9 d'Octubre mascletà in Valencia suspended because of the encampment; the City Council considers going to court, 08/10/2026: read the article
• Libertad Digital, the government forces the suspension of the 9 d'Octubre mascletà because of the Valencia encampment, 08/10/2026: read the article
• El Español, Valencia suspends the 9 d'Octubre mascletà because of the encampment and studies legal action over Bernabé's inaction, 08/10/2026: read the article
• Estrella Digital / Telemadrid, the TSJ de Madrid again refuses to clear the Sol encampment, finding no inaction by the Government Delegation (Auto 373/2026), 08/10/2026: read the article
• EFE (via ABC Color), the death of Maricarmen revives the housing struggle across Spain; Puerta del Sol encampment above 1,200 tents, 08/10/2026 (death also reported by CNN Español and Infobae, 07-08/10/2026; tent count updated by MDZ Online on 09/10/2026: more than 2,000 tents): read the article
• 101TV, Málaga to lift its housing encampment on Sunday to focus on the general strike, 08/10/2026 (lifting confirmed on 11/10/2026, see above): read the article
• Idealista, the Diputación Permanente will vote on housing decrees with minimal changes on 16 October; the PNV will back the first and reject the second, 07/10/2026: read the article
• El Diario / Idealista News, the Diputación Permanente will decide on the new housing decrees on 16 October, 07/10/2026: read the article
• Telemadrid, death of Maricarmen, the 87-year-old woman evicted in Madrid whose case fuelled the protests, 07/10/2026: read the article
• Vozpópuli, the government avoids clearing the housing encampment and complicates the Comunitat Valenciana day events, 07/10/2026: read the article
• que.es, general strike over housing set for 11 November, 07/10/2026: read the article
• Moncloa.com, the Valencia housing encampment and 9 d'Octubre, 07/10/2026: read the article
• elperiodic.com, a protest against the Valencia encampment called before 9 d'Octubre, the City Council mentions the courts, 07/10/2026: read the article
• Infobae, the Government Delegation in Madrid refuses to lift the Sol encampment for security reasons, 07/10/2026: read the article
• Madrid Actual, the encampment spreads beyond the Puerta del Sol, 07/10/2026 (tent count updated by EFE on 08/10/2026: more than 1,200 tents; then by MDZ Online on 09/10/2026: more than 2,000 tents): read the article
• Infobae/EFE, the courts again refuse to clear the Madrid encampment on its 11th day, 07/10/2026: read the article
• Última Hora, the Valencia encampment and the 9 d'Octubre ceremonies, 06/10/2026 (encampment figures updated by 7Tele Valencia and El Debate on 09/10/2026: about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people; then by Infobae on 09/10/2026: more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people according to the organisers): read the article
• MDZ (via EFE), Pedro Sánchez re-approves the housing decrees, 06/10/2026: read the article
• Moncloa.com, housing encampments in Andalusia (Seville, Málaga, Granada), 06/10/2026 (Málaga encampment lifted on 11/10/2026 according to 101TV and Andalucía Información): read the article
• El Debate / Infobae, the judge releases the five people arrested in Valencia without precautionary measures, 05/10/2026: read the article
• Vozpópuli / El Español, live coverage of Pedro Sánchez's statement on the snap general election, 05/10/2026: read the live coverage
• CNN Español / Infobae (EFE), housing protest in Barcelona, 05/10/2026: read the article
• Última Hora, the Granada, Málaga and Seville encampments decide to stay after the election announcement, 05/10/2026: read the article
• Infobae (EFE), Spain's main trade unions to call a general strike for decent housing, 05/10/2026: read the article
• Infobae/EFE, "Los detenidos en Valencia tras la manifestación de vivienda, mañana a disposición judicial", 04/10/2026: read the article
• Infobae/EFE, "La acampada de vivienda de Valencia pasa su primera noche y aspira a ser indefinida", 04/10/2026: read the article
• valenciaplaza.com, report on the Plaza del Ayuntamiento encampment, 04/10/2026, 21:35 (encampment figures updated by Última Hora on 06/10/2026: about 400 tents and 600 people, according to the encampment; then by 7Tele Valencia and El Debate on 09/10/2026: about 400 to 500 tents and up to 600 people; then by Infobae on 09/10/2026: more than 500 tents and 1,300 to 1,500 people according to the organisers; and by ValenciaPlaza and Diario Socialista on 09/10/2026: 1,300 to more than 1,500 people according to the organisers)
• Infobae, "Las protestas por la vivienda se extienden por el país y cientos de personas en Valencia, Oviedo y Granada acampan en las calles", 04/10/2026 (updated on 09/10/2026, see above): read the article
• eldiario.es, live coverage of the housing protests and the Sol encampment, 04/10/2026: read the live coverage
• Infobae, "Organizaciones de vivienda y manifestantes se concentran en Oviedo y anuncian una acampada", 02/10/2026: read the article
• eldiario.es, the judge refers Ayuso's request to clear the Puerta del Sol to the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Madrid, 02/10/2026: read the article
• Infobae, Ayuso to seek emergency court measures to clear the Puerta del Sol encampment, 01/10/2026: read the article
• El Periódico de Aquí, "Valencia se prepara para una protesta contra los precios de la vivienda", 03/10/2026: read the article
• ValenciaNews, "La protesta por la vivienda termina con cargas, un detenido y nueve agentes heridos en Valencia", 03/10/2026 (arrest figure corrected by Infobae/EFE on 04/10/2026: 5 people arrested): read the article
• El Debate, "Manifestación por 'El derecho a la vivienda'", 03/10/2026: read the article
• Última Hora, "El PP, tras la manifestación por la vivienda en València, acusa a la izquierda de sembrar 'la violencia en las calles'", 03/10/2026
• Moncloa.com, "El Congreso vota los decretos de vivienda: las claves del no de Junts, PP y Vox y qué pasa después" and "Vox tumba con PP, Junts y UPN los dos decretos de vivienda del Gobierno en el Congreso", 02/10/2026: articles of 2 October 2026
• Moncloa.com, "Huelga general vivienda: Sindicato de Inquilinas anuncia...", 03/10/2026
• Infobae / Moncloa.com, "El Sindicato de Inquilinas dice que la huelga general será 'pronto'", 03/10/2026
• que.es, "El Sindicato de Inquilinas anuncia una huelga general por la vivienda y la CEOE la tacha de ilegal", 03/10/2026
• cronista.com, "Isabel Rodríguez... Han decidido ustedes ser la peor derecha de toda Europa", 02-03/10/2026
• eldiario.es, "Última hora sobre las manifestaciones por la vivienda, en directo" and "Las protestas por la vivienda toman las calles: horario y recorrido", 03/10/2026 (Barcelona date corrected by CNN Español and Infobae/EFE on 05/10/2026: march postponed to Monday 5 October)
• eleconomista.es, "Manifestaciones en toda España por la vivienda este fin de semana", 03/10/2026 (Barcelona date corrected by CNN Español and Infobae/EFE on 05/10/2026)
• Tercera Información, "El movimiento por la vivienda toma las calles en más de 50 ciudades", 03/10/2026
• actualidadvalencia.com, calls to protest in Alicante and Castellón, 03/10/2026
• Idealista, rent price report for Valencia city (July 2026 data): see the report
• Idealista, "El precio del alquiler sube un 5,6 % anual en septiembre", 01/10/2026: read the article

Spotted an error or a new development? This page is updated as the news evolves. Turnout figures are those announced by each source and can differ widely: we show them side by side. Corrections are always flagged with the initial figure, its source and the date of the correction.