Housing Activists Disrupt Espot's Speech with Whistles During Macron's Andorra Visit

The Sindicat d’Habitatge has organised a protest at Plaça del Poble in Andorra la Vella, coinciding with French Coprince Emmanuel Macron’s public address on Tuesday. Around 30 demonstrators gathered from midday, ahead of speeches scheduled at 12.45pm by Macron and Head of Government Xavier Espot.

The group called on citizens via social media and digital channels to attend with whistles, placards and banners, urging people to bring colleagues and share the message widely. They aimed to highlight Andorra’s housing crisis, including struggles to afford rents, fears of eviction and lack of access to decent, stable accommodation. Organisers stressed the action targeted local institutions, not Macron, noting: pressure must fall on the government and parliamentary groups, who would be present for the event.

Contact with police beforehand confirmed no extra permit was needed for expressions during a public gathering, provided common sense prevailed—no poles or bulky items. Protesters mixed with the crowd, displaying signs in Catalan and French demanding “regular tots els lloguers” and ironic messages about spacious placards versus tiny flats for young people. Chants included “Espot a la Seu”, “Espot dimissió”, “habitatge digne”, “el poble es revolta” and complaints over forced business closures at noon, contrasted with working on 1 May.

Whistles and shouts drowned out much of Espot’s speech, forcing him to raise his voice despite amplification. He acknowledged housing as the “main concern”, pledged to expand public rental stock and support first-time buyers, but emphasised balance to protect landlords’ rights. “Despite the shouting,” he said, the government’s roadmap would not change. Macron’s address, by contrast, drew respectful silence.

Rebeca Bonache, a syndicate spokesperson, said the goal was for Espot to grasp public anger without disrupting Macron, whom they informed via a handed letter. Support came from figures like Gabriel Ubach of Unió Sindical d’Andorra, who decried speculation turning housing into an unaffordable commodity. The syndicate also promoted its 16 May rally against rental regulations, dubbed a “programmed expulsion law”.