Madrid – The eviction of 87‑year‑old María del Carmen Abascal, known as Maricarmen, has become a rallying point for Spaniards demanding stronger tenant protections. Abascal, who lived in the same apartment on Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street for more than 70 years, was forced out on Wednesday despite a night‑long vigil by dozens of supporters.
Within hours, nearly 10,000 people gathered in the capital, according to government officials, to protest the eviction and the broader housing crisis. Demonstrators camped overnight in Puerta del Sol and families of several generations joined the protests on Sunday. Similar solidarity actions erupted in Barcelona, Seville and Valencia.
Legal battle and failed mediation
Abascal’s attorney, Beatriz Duro, explained that the real‑estate firm Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión bought the building in March 2018 for €247,000 and subsequently raised the rent to four times the original €500 monthly amount, far beyond Abascal’s pension of €1,300. The company sued to terminate the lease in March 2020; Abascal won at the lower court, but the Provincial Court later ruled in the company’s favor.
Duro filed constitutional and Supreme Court appeals, both dismissed. The firm pursued multiple eviction attempts, with a brief suspension in October 2025 thanks to a legal provision for entities seeking eviction. A further postponement in June 2026 was granted due to Abascal’s vulnerable situation, but the eviction ultimately proceeded.
City‑level response
Madrid’s Municipal Housing and Land Agency (EMVS) was approached to include the property in the ReViVa Program, which aims to convert vacant homes into affordable rentals. The City Council rejected the proposal as non‑compliant with program rules, though it offered a mediation service for the landlord and tenant.
Abascal, now hospitalized at Gregorio Marañón Hospital, recorded a video message urging supporters to “keep fighting” for their homes. “I did not manage to defend my home, but I have fought so that others learn to fight for theirs,” she said.
Housing market context
Spain’s housing market has seen rent prices nearly double in a decade, rising from €12.8 per square meter in August 2016 to €23.3 in August 2026, according to Idealista. Home purchase prices have surged 227.9% over the same period, reaching €6,471 per square meter. With the average annual salary in 2024 around €29,540, a typical 50‑square‑meter apartment would cost nearly half of a household’s income, far exceeding the UN‑Habitat benchmark that affordable rent should be under 30% of income.
The Bank of Spain attributes much of the strain to a shortage of roughly 755,000 homes, a figure projected to approach one million by 2028.
Political reactions
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez referenced the case at a Socialist Party rally, promising a Royal Decree on housing and urging parliamentary groups to expedite its approval. Abascal has previously criticized Sánchez, questioning his awareness of daily evictions.
The episode underscores the growing tension between landlords, tenants, and policymakers as Spain grapples with a severe housing affordability crisis.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
