In Jaca in the northern Spanish region of Aragon thousands of people demonstrated for affordable housing on 11 November 2026. The rally was part of the general strike called by trade unions and housing initiatives in Spain. For the demonstration in the Aragonese Pyrenees The organisers put the turnout at around 3,500; according to elDiario.es, local police estimated the figure at 1,800.
In the mountainous region, the protest was directed against high housing costs, property speculation and what the organisers see as excessive dependence on tourism. The organisations behind the call say that workers in the valleys are increasingly unable to find affordable housing. Their joint slogan was: “We want to live here.”
The regional protest was called by the housing initiative Vivienda Digna Viello Aragón and the trade unions CNT, CGT and OSTA. The demonstration began at midday in Plaza Biscós. According to a report by elDiario.es, people from the Sobrarbe area also joined. Earlier, families, teachers and pupils from schools in Jaca had marched towards the city centre.
Early in the morning, information pickets had visited commercial areas in Sabiñánigo In Canfranc participants protested outside the Hotel Estación de Canfranc, which is housed in the former international railway station. Later, rallies were held outside the town halls in Canfranc and Sabiñánigo.
The organisers put strike participation at 75 per cent at the hotel and more than 50 per cent in education. It was somewhat lower in hospitality and healthcare. These figures relate to individual establishments or sectors and do not constitute an overall rate for the Pyrenees. Radio Jaca reported in the morning that participation had been very low at the large industrial companies in Sabiñánigo.
Among other things, the organisers are calling for stricter controls on holiday apartments, a surcharge on property tax for vacant homes, and the designation of areas with stressed housing markets. They also demand that publicly funded tourism businesses guarantee year-round employment and adequate accommodation for their staff. They are calling for affordable housing for teachers, medical staff and wildfire fighters.
The criticism is directed at the Spanish central government, the Government of Aragón and the municipalities. Among other things, the organisers accuse local authorities of inadequately handling permits for holiday lets. They criticise the regional government for failing to designate stressed housing markets in the Pyrenean valleys.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).