Spain has ordered Airbnb to block more than 65,000 holiday rental listings due to rule violations, including failure to display license numbers or mismatched owner information. The Consumer Rights Ministry announced the removal of 65,935 listings, citing issues with licensing and compliance. Many listings operated without official licenses, contributing to Spain's ongoing housing affordability crisis, which has led to widespread protests over rising rental costs. Official data shows about 321,000 homes had holiday rental licenses as of November 2024, a 15% increase since 2020. Airbnb plans to appeal the decision, arguing that the ministry lacks authority over short-term rentals and that the methodology used to identify non-compliant listings was indiscriminate. The Spanish government, supported by Madrid’s high court, has prioritized cracking down on illegal short-term rentals, including a plan in Barcelona to shut down all licensed apartments by 2028 to protect housing for residents. The first wave of removals affected properties in Madrid, Barcelona, and other regions, with more orders pending to reach nearly 66,000 removals.