Spain Grinds To A Halt: 4 Million Workers Stage First General Strike In 14 Years | WATCH VIDEOS

Protesters during a general strike in Barcelona on Wednesday.

Around four million workers took part in a nationwide general strike in Spain on Wednesday, according to unions, protesting against soaring rents, housing shortages and evictions less than three weeks before a snap general election. The 24-hour walkout is the country's first general strike since 2012, when workers protested against austerity measures during the eurozone debt crisis.

It was backed by Spain's two largest trade unions, UGT and CCOO, which represent more than a million workers, as well as tenants' associations angered by rising rents and a growing number of evictions.

The unions described the strike as a success, although participation varied across the country. Support was strongest in coastal regions, where housing costs have become a particularly pressing issue.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is hoping to make housing affordability a central issue in the 29 November election, shifting attention away from corruption investigations involving his inner circle and a deadly train crash last month. His Socialist Party, however, continues to trail in opinion polls.

In Madrid, protesters gathered on Gran Via, one of the capital's main shopping streets, as several major retailers, including Primark, H&M and Pull & Bear, lowered…

Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/latest-news