Spain was brought to a standstill on Wednesday as the country's main unions launched their first general strike in 14 years, a nationwide revolt against soaring housing costs and a spiraling cost of living.
The walkout, the first since 2012, crippled transport and public services and halted traffic on major roads in Madrid and the industrial heartland of Catalonia, with the largest demonstrations expected in the nation's biggest cities. Voters head to the polls on November 29 in a parliamentary election triggered by the collapse of the government's housing reforms.
Rents have become the breaking point. The average monthly cost of a 50-square-meter apartment in Madrid reached 1,170 in October, eating up nearly half the average gross monthly salary of about 2,460 and sitting far above the 30% ceiling that housing experts consider affordable.
The movement was ignited by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from the Madrid flat she had called home for seven decades, after new landlords tripled her rent. She died in hospital weeks later.
Dozens of people were arrested over a range of incidents during the day, and estate agency offices in some areas were targeted in attacks. Electricity use across Spanish industry dropped 7.5% in the early hours, a gauge of participation that still fell short of the 15% decline recorded during the last general strike 14 years ago.