Spain's Housing Crisis Ignites Mass Protests After 87-Year-Old Woman Evicted

María del Carmen Abascal, known as Maricarmen, was forcibly evicted from her Madrid apartment on September 23, 2026, after living there for over 70 years. The 87-year-old, who uses a wheelchair, was removed on a stretcher and taken to Hospital Gregorio Marañón following the eviction by court officials and police. The property, located in Madrid's Retiro neighborhood, had been subject to a legal dispute since the building's sale to investment company Urbagestión in 2018, which sought to raise her rent from €500 to €2,650 monthly—a 275% increase—before reducing it to €1,650. Abascal's monthly pension of €1,350 made both figures unaffordable. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the landlord in March 2026, overturning earlier court protections, though this marked the fourth eviction attempt.

The case has become a flashpoint for Spain's broader housing crisis. Hundreds of supporters gathered outside Abascal's building overnight on September 22 to block the eviction, with police clearing the area using batons and pepper spray. An anonymous donor had reportedly offered to cover the remaining rent payments, but Urbagestión declined to accept the arrangement. Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, criticized the response as "completely disproportionate and unnecessary," noting the company refused even a brief delay for Abascal to secure alternative housing.

On September 26, thousands of protesters marched through Madrid's streets under the slogan "Ni una Maricarmen más" (Not one more Maricarmen), with demonstrations simultaneously occurring in at least 16 other Spanish cities including Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, and Granada. The Madrid march, organized by the Sindicato de Inquilinas (Tenants Union), drew approximately 10,000 participants and proceeded from Puerta del Sol toward Congress. Protesters demanded automatic contract renewal, rent freezes, a moratorium on evictions without alternative housing, and an end to short-term rental fraud. From her hospital bed, Abascal released a video urging supporters to attend and calling on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to approve a new housing decree by the following Tuesday's Cabinet meeting.

The dispute reflects structural issues in Spain's housing market rooted in the country's regulated tenancy system. Abascal's original lease, signed by her father in 1956 under Franco-era rent controls, had been inherited twice—to her mother and then to her in 2005. The property remained under old-style rent regulation with capped increases until Urbagestión's acquisition in 2018, when the company argued the second succession was invalid under revised law. The Spanish Supreme Court upheld this interpretation in March 2026. Madrid's rental market has seen increases exceeding 100% over the past decade, with a 10% rise in the past year alone, according to property platform Idealista.

Political responses have intensified. Prime Minister Sánchez called the eviction "a social tragedy that we cannot accept" and at the United Nations criticized Madrid's regional government under Isabel Díaz Ayuso for prioritizing luxury developments over affordable housing. The government announced it would accelerate negotiations on a housing decree. The Tenants Union presented lawmakers with a draft decree demanding indefinite renewable contracts, rent freezes, anti-fraud measures, and a moratorium on evictions without alternative housing. Regional president Ayuso faced calls for resignation from protesters. Notably, Urbagestión has separately filed a criminal complaint against the Tenants Union and its spokesperson Valeria Racu, claiming defamation and coercion totaling €10,000 in damages.

The case has drawn international attention and support. The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights called in June for the eviction to be halted and for alternative affordable housing to be offered. Spanish celebrities including actor Javier Bardem's brother Carlos and singer Ana Belén publicly supported Abascal. Local government had offered Abascal a place in an elderly care home, which she declined, insisting she remain in her longtime home. Housing advocates argue the case exemplifies how investment firms' acquisition of older properties with rent-controlled tenants has intensified displacement pressure in Spanish cities, while government critics note that both increased home construction and stricter market regulation are needed to address the broader shortage.