Thousands marched in Madrid to protest the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, whose removal—captured in images of her being stretchered from her flat after police forced entry—has reignited debate over Spain's housing crisis. Protesters demanded stronger tenant protections and limits on rent hikes; organisers said up to 300,000 attended while authorities estimated 25,000. The government is preparing a "Maricarmen decree" proposing automatic rental renewals and tighter eviction rules, but parliamentary approval is uncertain.
Thousands Protest in Madrid After 87-Year-Old's Eviction Sparks Outrage
Protesters chanted slogans and held banners calling for measures to make evictions more difficult (Oscar DEL POZO)
Thousands of demonstrators filled central Madrid on Saturday to protest the eviction this week of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from the apartment she had lived in for decades, demanding stronger tenant protections and limits on rent hikes.
Graphic images of Abascal being carried from her flat on a stretcher after police forced entry have refocused attention on Spain's widening housing crisis ahead of a general election expected in 2027. Protesters rattled keys, blew whistles, chanted slogans and carried banners urging measures to make evictions harder and curb soaring rents.
Turnout estimates varied sharply: government officials put the crowd at about 25,000, while organisers estimated up to 300,000 people joined the march that concluded outside the Spanish parliament.
“I want what has happened to me to serve so that it does not happen to other people,”
Abascal, who has been treated in hospital for exhaustion since the eviction, recorded a video message urging people to join the protest and to push for legal change. The Madrid Tenants' Union says she was forced out after a real estate firm purchased the building and raised the rent by 275 percent to €2,650 a month; she had lived in the flat for 70 years.
Voices From the March
Enrique Ortega de Miguel, 38, a graphic designer who still lives with his mother, described the market in Spain as "impossible," saying many people struggle to find affordable housing and live in constant fear of eviction. Irene Lopez, a 33-year-old engineer, called the situation "unsustainable," while 76-year-old pensioner Maricarmen Arnedo highlighted the generational strain: older residents being pushed out as younger people cannot afford to move out of their parents' homes.
'Social Tragedy' and Political Response
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who committed last year to prioritise housing, called the eviction a "social tragedy that we cannot accept" and faces mounting pressure to act. The government is expected to table a package of measures informally dubbed the "Maricarmen decree," which reportedly would include automatic renewals of rental contracts and tougher restrictions on evictions.
However, it remains uncertain whether any proposed measures will pass parliament, where Sánchez's administration does not have an outright majority. A similar bill failed earlier this year, but Abascal's case has intensified public and political scrutiny.
Wider Context
The Bank of Spain estimates a shortfall of roughly 700,000 homes relative to demand, and analysts say limited public housing, rising demand from tourism and population growth have driven rents higher. The protests reflect broader frustration over affordability, security of tenure and how to balance private housing markets with social protections.
Reporting details compiled from statements by the Madrid Tenants' Union, participants at the march and official estimates.
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