Spain's cabinet approved emergency housing measures after nationwide protests prompted by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal. Key measures include an eviction moratorium until 2030, automatic renewal of rental contracts, regulation of short-term rentals and limits on purchases by vulture funds. Tens of thousands protested and roughly 100 tents remain in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, but the reforms still require approval from a fragmented parliament.
Spain Approves Eviction Moratorium Until 2030 After Nationwide Housing Protests
Demonstrators have set up around 100 tents in Madrid's emblematic Puerta del Sol square since Saturday night (Oscar DEL POZO)
Spain's cabinet approved a package of emergency housing measures on Tuesday that includes a ban on evictions until 2030 and the automatic renewal of rental contracts, a government minister announced following days of nationwide protests.
What the Measures Include
The measures reported by Health Minister Mónica García include a temporary moratorium on evictions through 2030, mandatory automatic renewals of tenancy agreements, tighter regulation of short-term holiday rentals and restrictions on purchases of housing by so-called "vulture funds." García hailed the deal on social media as something "unimaginable a month ago."
Political Context
The Socialist-led government rushed to strike a deal at a key cabinet meeting with its far-left coalition partner Sumar amid mass demonstrations. However, the reforms still require approval from a fragmented parliament in which the coalition does not hold a clear majority, leaving the measures uncertain.
Protests and Public Response
Public anger over housing affordability has been simmering for years but boiled over after the forcible eviction of 87-year-old Madrid resident Maricarmen Abascal last Wednesday. Protesters set up roughly 100 tents in Madrid's Puerta del Sol and tens of thousands rallied across Spain demanding deeper, structural reforms to the housing market.
"Thank you to the mobilisations and the camps. Without you, this would not have been possible," wrote the Sumar minister. Justice Minister Félix Bolaños added on X that the day was "a great day for tenants and small homeowners. And a bad one for speculators."
Case Spotlight: Maricarmen Abascal
Abascal, evicted on a stretcher from the apartment where she'd lived for 70 years, has become a potent symbol of the crisis. An agreement announced on Monday allowed her to return to her flat after negotiations with the real-estate firm; the Madrid Tenants' Union said the landlord had raised her rent by 275% to €2,650 per month.
Outlook
Campers occupying central Madrid warned their movement would continue unless the government delivered substantial, nationwide reforms. Activists and some opposition voices say temporary measures, while urgent, do not address long-term structural problems in Spain's housing market.
Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez was scheduled to give a detailed briefing on the cabinet's agreed measures.
Help us improve.
