Spain's Housing Crisis Sparks Nationwide Protests After Eviction of 87-Year-Old Woman

Tens of thousands of Spaniards protested across major cities on Saturday following the government's failure to pass emergency housing legislation aimed at addressing an acute affordability crisis. The demonstrations, with approximately 50 marches in cities including Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona, were triggered by the September 23 eviction of María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman who had lived in her Madrid home for seven decades before being forced out due to a sharp rent increase she could not afford.

Protestors demanded lower rents, an end to evictions, a ban on investment funds—termed "vulture funds" by the government—from purchasing residential properties, and automatic renewal of rental contracts. In Madrid, estimates of protest numbers varied significantly: the city's Tenants' Union claimed 500,000 participants while officials reported 70,000. Demonstrators camped in Puerta del Sol and carried banners such as "There won't be peace for rentism" and "I study to have a future, not to have a tiny apartment." Similar encampments were established in Barcelona's Plaza Catalunya.

Clashes between protesters and police occurred in Valencia near the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, where a real estate summit was underway. Police deployed rubber bullets, tear gas, and batons in response to protesters who removed barriers and threw objects. Spanish media reported nine police officers injured and five people arrested in Valencia; no significant injuries were reported in Madrid. Spanish police also arrested three members of a far-right group attempting to reach demonstrators in Puerta del Sol.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's coalition government—comprising the Socialist party and the junior Sumar alliance—presented two decrees on Friday. The first proposed suspending evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, extending rental leases expiring before 2028, increasing taxes on tourist apartments, and restricting "vulture fund" purchases. The second decree included automatic renewal of rental contracts. Congress rejected the first decree 178–172 and the second 184–166, with the conservative People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox voting against both, leaving the minority government without the votes needed to pass the measures.

The housing crisis in Spain has developed over years, with average rent nearly doubling in the past decade. According to real estate portal Idealista, the price per square meter rose from €8.20 in 2016 to €15.10 in 2024. The Spanish government reported that 26% of renters spend an average of 40% of their income on rent and services, compared to 18% across the European Union. Spain ranks near the bottom among OECD countries in public-owned rental housing, with less than 2% of available supply, versus an EU average of 8%.

On Monday, following the legislative defeat, Sánchez announced early general elections for November 29. Madrid's Tenants' Union stated that although the government's measures were insufficient, their rejection "exacerbates the housing crisis which is costing the working class their lives," and called for a general strike. The defeat has intensified speculation about political instability, as the coalition government's minority status in Parliament presents ongoing challenges.