Protests for affordable housing: Expropriate – now!

The anger that has been pent up for a long time is released. The shocking images of the forced eviction of the 87-year-old, handicapped Maricarmen brought tens of thousands to the streets of Madrid over the weekend in Spain to confront a problem that has long been the problem of the century. The protesters complain about unaffordable rents and astronomical purchase prices for apartments. They rail against speculation and tourism, which drives the traditional population out of the cities with its holiday apartments.

No social problem is as urgent as that of housing that is no longer affordable. Rent caps are a partial solution, at least where they are applied. But the conservative or conservative/fascist-governed regions of Spain don't do that. In Spain, the regions are responsible for housing policy.

They can use it to protect the market, as they call it, rather than the tenants. And many right-wing politicians are directly involved in the housing speculation business. For example, the son of the former conservative head of government José María Aznar works in this industry. His wife Ana Botella sold 1,800 municipal apartments to funds during her time as mayor of Madrid.

The taz is an independent, left-wing and opinionated daily newspaper. We have been arguing in our comments, essays and debate texts since the taz was founded in 1979. We often cannot and do not want to agree on an opinion. That's why you'll find some completely opposing positions here - all part of the very broad left-wing spectrum of opinions.

In order to permanently get the housing problem under control, courageous measures are needed that cannot be boycotted by the right-wing governed regions - such as Madrid, where the housing problem is most severe. The tenants' union and with them the tens of thousands of people who took to the streets at the weekend are therefore calling for tougher, more decisive measures.

The reptile funds or real estate companies, as the speculators prefer to be called, must be driven out of the market. And where they are so powerful that they can set prices, expropriation is the right answer. The expropriated apartments could serve as a basis or as an extension for a municipal housing market. This applies not only to Madrid, but also to other major European cities.