La vivienda dispara el malestar social: seis de cada diez canarios creen que las Islas han ido a peor

The recent survey by the Observatorio Electoral de Canarias reveals that housing dominates public anxiety in the Canary Islands, with 47.3 % of respondents identifying it as the most serious problem. This figure places housing 20 percentage points ahead of the next issue, immigration, which garnered 27.3 % support. The study, conducted by the Gabinete Canario de Estudios de Mercados y Opinión Pública, interviewed 1 639 citizens across the seven islands between 19 and 25 May 2026, representing a margin of error of ±2.45 percentage points at a 95.5 % confidence level.

Tenerife exhibits the strongest pessimism, with 69.4 % of its residents believing the islands have worsened over the past year and 65.5 % forecasting further decline in the next twelve months. Gran Canaria follows closely, while La Palma stands out as the most optimistic island, where 27.9 % think the situation has improved. Lanzarote records the highest share of respondents (35.9 %) who see the situation as stagnant.

Overall, 59.8 % of Canary Islanders expect conditions to deteriorate in the next twelve months, contrasted with 22.5 % who anticipate improvement. Only 15.4 % foresee stability. The negative outlook aligns with the broader sentiment that housing, immigration, tourism and population growth remain the primary drivers of discontent, outweighing traditional economic worries such as wages, inflation and unemployment.

Public confidence in the regional government is low: 48.1 % rate the administration’s handling of the crisis as poor or very poor, while merely 21.8 % consider it good or very good. Tenerife and Gran Canaria record the highest levels of dissatisfaction, at 54.7 % and 47.2 % respectively. Conversely, the smaller islands—El Hierro, La Palma and Lanzarote—show comparatively higher approval rates, ranging from 33.8 % to 37.6 %.

The surveyed population mirrors the Canary electorate of 1 662 251 registered voters (March 2026). The sample is balanced by gender (51.1 % women, 48.9 % men) and skewed toward older age groups: 39.5 % are over 55, 37.1 % are aged 35‑54, and 23.4 % are 18‑34. A substantial majority (76.5 %) were born or raised in the islands, and nearly half (49.8 %) hold higher‑education qualifications, indicating a well‑educated respondent pool.

The data underscore housing affordability and availability as urgent policy priorities for sustainable development in the archipelago. High rental and purchase costs are perceived as the most pressing barrier to social stability, suggesting that any long‑term sustainability strategy must integrate affordable‑housing initiatives, rent‑control measures, and incentives for energy‑efficient construction. Addressing these concerns could alleviate broader social tensions and improve public confidence in governmental action.