Thousands of people took to the streets of Madrid on Saturday to protest the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her lifelong home.
The demonstration has renewed attention on Spain’s housing crisis, particularly concerns over rising rents and tenant protections. Protesters marched through central Madrid while demanding stronger safeguards against evictions.
Maricarmen Abascal’s Eviction Sparks Public Anger
Maricarmen Abascal was removed from her Madrid apartment earlier this week after living there for 70 years. Police broke down the door on Wednesday before carrying her out of the flat on a stretcher.
Images of the eviction quickly drew attention and turned Abascal into a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis. Her case has also intensified calls for greater protection for tenants facing eviction.
During Saturday’s march, protesters carried banners demanding measures to control rising housing costs. They also called for greater restrictions on evictions as they moved through central Madrid.
One banner carried a direct warning to demonstrators and other tenants. It read, “You could be the next Maricarmen.”
Abascal also urged Spaniards to join the campaign through a video message posted online shortly before the protest. She spoke from hospital, where she has been receiving treatment for exhaustion since her eviction.
“I want what has happened to me to serve so that it does not happen to other people,” she said from hospital.
She further called for legal changes to prevent others from experiencing a similar situation.
“I want it to encourage people to fight and to help change the laws that have allowed me to be evicted,” she added in the video, posted by Spain’s main tenants’ union.
Rent Increase Followed Property Acquisition
According to the tenants’ union, Abascal was forced to leave the apartment after a real estate firm acquired the property.
The company subsequently increased the rent by 275 percent, taking it to 2,650 euros ($3,000), according to the union.
The sharp increase followed decades of residence in the same home and became a central issue surrounding her eviction.
Meanwhile, her case has contributed to renewed protests over housing conditions across Spain. Regular demonstrations have taken place since she was removed from her apartment.
Government Faces Pressure Over Housing Measures
The eviction has also increased pressure on Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government to take further action on housing.
Sanchez pledged last year to make housing a government priority. However, Abascal’s case has added fresh urgency to demands for stronger tenant protections.
The government is expected to consider a package of measures known as the “Maricarmen decree” at its next cabinet meeting.
The proposed package would include automatic renewal of rental contracts. It would also introduce further restrictions on evictions.
However, the measures could face difficulties in parliament because Sanchez’s government does not hold a majority.
Abascal’s Case Puts Housing Policy Under Spotlight
A similar bill was defeated earlier this year, highlighting the political challenge facing the government. Nevertheless, Abascal’s eviction has increased pressure on political parties to respond to housing concerns.
As thousands marched through Madrid, her case remained at the centre of demands for stronger tenant protections.
The protest has therefore brought renewed public attention to the difficulties facing tenants as housing costs continue to fuel concern across Spain. Abascal’s experience has become a focal point in calls to change the laws governing evictions and rental agreements.
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