An 87-year-old Madrid pensioner facing eviction after her rent was raised by 275% can return to her home following a legal agreement negotiated with the property’s owners, according to her lawyer, Beatriz Duro. The case of Maricarmen Abascal has fueled nationwide protests across Spain over runaway housing costs and inadequate tenant protections.
Madrid Eviction Case Sparks National Outrage
Maricarmen Abascal, who uses a wheelchair, was removed on a stretcher from the Madrid apartment in the upmarket Retiro neighborhood where she had lived for 70 years. Supporters state that she had always paid her rent, but the real estate firm that owned the apartment hiked her monthly payment to €2,650. The eviction triggered widespread public anger, thrusting Spain’s housing crisis to the forefront of national political debate.
In response to the demonstrations, protesters set up roughly 100 tents in Madrid’s emblematic Puerta del Sol square, while tens of thousands of people marched across the country. Carlota, a 29-year-old protester who spent a night in Sol, told reporters that the country is experiencing a serious situation and called for an end to prioritizing capital and investment funds over people.
Legal Settlement Allows Tenant Return
Beatriz Duro, the lawyer representing Ms Abascal, announced the settlement to reporters, describing it as a direct result of social mobilization. Ms Duro stated that there was goodwill from both parties and that the new rent would be similar to what Ms Abascal had been paying previously. The agreement allows the pensioner to return to her apartment upon leaving the hospital, where she is currently receiving treatment for exhaustion.
Expressing hope for broader change, Ms Duro told reporters that she hopes this different way of ending such situations helps shift the paradigm regarding housing in general in Spain.
Political Pressure and Legislative Hurdles
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government faced mounting pressure to address the affordability crisis. Socialist officials held talks with far-left junior coalition partners Sumar and other political parties to pass a new housing package. However, the governing coalition lacks a majority in parliament, creating uncertainty for the legislative initiative, especially after a similar housing bill was defeated earlier in the year.
In Barcelona, where housing costs are frequently linked by activists to overtourism, around 2,000 protesters gathered during a visit by Prime Minister Sanchez. Carme Arcarazo, a spokeswoman for the Catalan Tenants’ Union, told reporters that demonstrators want concrete solutions rather than temporary measures, demanding a rent freeze, indefinite contracts, and anti-eviction protections.
Rental Market Pressures and Housing Shortages
Market data highlights the severity of the broader economic squeeze facing tenants in Spain. Over the past decade, the average rental price per square metre almost doubled, reaching €15.10 per square metre in August, according to the real estate portal Idealista. Official figures show that purchasing costs for buyers increased by more than 50% over the same period.
Laura Requena, a 32-year-old teacher, told reporters in Barcelona that the market resembles a jungle and that achieving financial independence without flat-sharing is nearly impossible. According to Bank of Spain estimates, the nation of approximately 50 million people faces a shortage of 700,000 homes, driven by a gap between demand and new construction, alongside increased demand from tourism and population growth linked to immigration.
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