Spain sees widespread disruption in first general strike for 14 years | Bbc News

Now, let's turn to Spain, where the country's first general strike in 14 years is causing severe disruption. Large evening demonstrations are underway in Barcelona and in Madrid. There have been protests throughout the day, and in the northern city of Bilbao, thousands took to the streets to protest against the shortage of affordable housing and the rising cost of living. Protesters blocked major roads and transport routes across central Barcelona, bringing large parts of the city there to a standstill. Dozens of protesters have been arrested amid clashes between police and demonstrators. The strike comes less than three weeks before Spain holds a snap general election. And this is the scene live in Barcelona where those huge protests are continuing. Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister, calling that snap election after he failed to get housing reforms passed. But talking to one of the protesters a little earlier, a representative of one of the unions involved in the strike and asking whether. If Pedro Sanchez is defeated in those elections, whether any other politician could bring the change that the protesters needed, well, the answer was that it's not clear that that would happen. But nonetheless, many thousands of people turning out across Spain to continue to make their feelings known. You will probably remember back in September the story of 87-year-old Marie Carmen Abascal. ...who was evicted from the apartment she'd lived in since the mid-1950s. She was then allowed to go back, but unfortunately died. That was the spark for many of these protests. Well, Carme Arcarazo, an urban political economist and spokesperson for the Tenants' Union, Sindicat de Llogaters, told me rising costs are behind these protests. Over the last 10 years, housing prices have increased more than 80% in Spain. Food prices have increased more than 40%. And we see how energy bills and the cost of living is going up, while salaries remain still. It's like perceived by anyone. Actually, on average, people spend half of their salary exclusively on housing. This makes no sense. It makes no sense to work exclusively to survive. It's impossible to save up and it's impossible. To finish the month feeling at ease, and this is why we called for a general strike, to ask for a decrease in prices in general and for an increase in salaries and pensions, just so we can live rather than survive. And I'm sure many people will remember how these protests were sparked by the story of Marie-Carmen Abascal, who was evicted from her home. The 87-year-old woman, she was given permission to return, but then sadly died. How big an impact do you think these protests, Karma, are going to have on the election in less than three weeks' time? So the case of Mari Carmen was crucial because it was a story that of course it was touching, an 87 year old grandmother being evicted by an investment fund, but it was at the same time a very relatable story. Everyone in this country feels afraid that at some point an investment fund will buy their apartment and they will be kicked out. It's a very Yeah, genuine fear that everyone has. So this is why these protests went massive in a matter of days. Yeah, and if Pedro Sanchez, sorry to interrupt, Carme, if Pedro Sanchez is no longer prime minister after the snap election, what guarantees do you have that politicians from any other party will deliver the sort of change that the protesters are looking for? And what will you do if that change does not come the other side of this election? So, of course, we are at a very crucial point in Spanish history. It is likely that the right and the far right could win the next election. And this strike, actually, what we want to do is put another topic in the center of the debate. Rather than talking about security, talking about migration, we want to talk about people's real problem, the cost of living, housing. We want to point up rather than pointing to the side or downwards as they have been doing. Of course, if the right wins, the situation will worsen much more. But at the same time, if Pedro Sánchez manages to continue governing, It is no guarantee that the right to housing will actually happen unless the conflict goes very, very, very big. What we've seen is that Pedro Sánchez, in an international dimension, has been a progressive president, but internally, he has not had the courage to actually implement brave measures to lower housing prices, to lower prices in general, and to increase salaries. He has been, yeah. Not brave enough, so this strike is partially against him as well. Karma Akarrazo from the Tenants Union Syndicate, Yoga Terraces.