Monday, September 28, 2026 - Tens of thousands of people marched through Madrid after the eviction of 87-year-old MarÃa del Carmen Abascal, whose case has become a flashpoint in Spain’s worsening housing crisis.
Abascal was removed from her long-term home in the upscale Retiro neighbourhood on a stretcher and taken to hospital. Protesters are demanding stronger tenant protections, tougher measures against housing fraud and a ban on evictions when no alternative accommodation is available.
The demonstrations continued into Sunday, with protesters setting up about 100 tents in the Puerta del Sol square and pledging to remain there as pressure builds on the government.
Abascal had reportedly been paying €500 a month before the property’s ownership changed, after which the rent was increased to €2,650 and later reduced to €1,650—still unaffordable on her pension, according to the Madrid Tenants’ Union.
The anger reflects a broader shortage of affordable housing across Spain. The Bank of Spain has estimated a housing shortfall of around 550,000 homes, while public rental housing accounts for less than 2% of the country’s housing stock, compared with an EU average of about 8%.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pledged to bring a new housing decree to the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, putting the government under growing pressure to respond as the Madrid protest camp continues.
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