Malaga housing protest: "No more sky-high rents, no more rock-bottom wages"

The protest, organised by grassroots platform Málaga para Vivir under the slogan "No more sky-high rents, no more rock-bottom wages", was the fourth housing march staged by the group since June 2024.

Campaigners accused local, regional and national governments of failing to tackle soaring house prices and rents despite repeated demonstrations over the past two years.

They also renewed calls for a general strike on housing by 2027, saying public institutions already know how to regulate the market but have chosen not to act.

Speaking before the march, spokesperson Lula Amir said Malaga had reached "breaking point".

"We're not going to wait for institutions to respond because we know they won't. They know perfectly well how to regulate housing prices and protect people, but they're simply not doing it," she said.

Fellow spokesperson Alberto Martín said the situation had deteriorated since the group's first protest.

"Two years on, housing has only become less affordable and governments at every level are failing to take responsibility. We're organising ourselves with the aim of building towards a general strike over housing."

The organisers said they want Spain's major trade unions to formally call the strike, while building pressure through grassroots mobilisation.

The demonstration set off shortly after 11.30am from Plaza de la Merced and passed through Calle Alcazabilla, Plaza de la Marina and Calle Larios before finishing in Plaza de la Constitución.

Organisers criticised the authorities for approving a shorter route than requested, saying it remained almost entirely within pedestrian streets. During the march, protesters smashed piñatas shaped like the Martiricos residential towers, using them as a symbol of the type of high-end property developments they oppose.

The procession also featured sit-ins, traditional Verdiales folk singing and hundreds of demonstrators rattling their house keys, creating a loud echo along Calle Larios.

This year's protest broadened its demands beyond housing affordability to include higher wages and more secure employment, arguing that low salaries and rising living costs are making it increasingly difficult for local residents to remain in Malaga.

The organisers also said they wanted a city designed primarily for its residents, with stronger public services, rather than one increasingly shaped by tourism.

Many of those taking part described being priced out of the city despite working full-time.

Carmen Leiva, a 34-year-old environmental scientist, said she had moved to Denmark to find better-paid work and spent a decade saving, yet still could not afford to buy a home in Malaga.

"Even with a Danish salary and ten years of working, you still can't afford a flat in Malaga. I had to move all the way to Casarabonela," she said.

Víctor Ayala, 25, said the rent for a room had doubled from 200 euros to 400 euros in just four years, prompting his decision to move to Granada.

"In Malaga's hospitality sector, you're barely earning 1,100 euros a month, so there's no way to get ahead."

Sofía Ramos said she pays 340 euros for a room in a flat shared with eight other people: "It's overwhelming living with so many people, although I'm lucky the people I live with are considerate."

Teenagers Carla González de Canales, 17, and Darío Gámez, 18, said uncertainty about ever owning a home was affecting their mental health.

"We don't even know whether we'll be able to stay in Malaga," they said, adding that even protected social housing, which is sold or rented under income restrictions, was failing to meet demand.

Father and son Juan Cruz also highlighted the widening gap between wages and house prices. The younger Juan, aged 35, said he still lived with his parents despite earning a reasonable salary.

"I've done the maths. Since my father's generation, wages have increased fourfold but house prices have gone up ten or twelve times."

Mari Ángeles Gámez and Manuel Aguilar said their three children, all engineers aged between 23 and 30, also remained at home because they could not afford to move out.

"They can't become independent or start families. Then people wonder why the country has an ageing population."

Representatives from PSOE, Izquierda Unida, Podemos and Adelante Andalucía also attended the demonstration.

PSOE representatives blamed the Andalucía regional government for failing to use its housing powers while accusing Malaga mayor Francisco de la Torre of prioritising tourism over residents.

Izquierda Unida called for the full implementation of Spain's Housing Act and argued that no family should lose their home because they cannot afford the rent.

Podemos demanded an immediate moratorium on new tourist accommodation and rent controls, while Adelante Andalucía criticised the regional government for putting the interests of investment funds ahead of local residents.

The demonstration concluded in Plaza de la Constitución, where organisers read a manifesto and heard testimonies from residents affected by eviction and rising housing costs, including María Teresa, who was recently evicted and is temporarily being housed in a hostel by the city hall while alternative accommodation is found.

"I'm Grandma Teresa from Malaga and I'm just asking for a home I can afford," she told the crowd.