Full Breakdown
Eviction of 87-Year-Old Maricarmen Abascal Sparks Nationwide Housing Outcry
By Drooid · · How we work
The Forced Eviction
On a Wednesday morning, police broke down the door of 46 Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street in Madrid’s Retiro district and removed María del Carmen Abascal, 87, on a stretcher after she was given only 30 minutes to collect essential belongings. The operation, the fourth attempt to evict her, followed a Supreme Court ruling in March that favored the property owners and after police cleared hundreds of demonstrators who had gathered to block the removal.
Background and Legal History
Abascal’s tenancy originated in 1956 under an “old-rent” regulated contract. After her parents’ deaths, the lease passed to her. The building was sold in 2018 to Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S.L., which argued the contract had lapsed, prompting a legal battle that reached the Supreme Court. Earlier eviction attempts in October 2025 and June 2 2026 were halted by courts.
Key Figures and Organizations
- María del Carmen Abascal – tenant.
- Beatriz Duro – Abascal’s lawyer.
- Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S.L. – investment fund.
- Alicia del Rio – spokesperson for Inquilinas de Madrid.
- Patxi López – Socialist spokesperson in Congress.
- Isabel Díaz Ayuso – President of the Community of Madrid.
- José Luis Martínez-Almeida – Mayor of Madrid.
- UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – called for a suspension of the eviction.
Timeline
- 1956 – Regulated tenancy signed.
- 2005 – Succession to Abascal.
- 2018 – Sale to Urbagestión.
- Oct 2025 – First eviction attempt halted.
- June 2 2026 – Second attempt postponed.
- Mar 2026 – Supreme Court rules for owners.
- Wed 2026 – Fourth eviction carried out.
Data and Statistics
- Original rent: €500/month, CPI-adjusted.
- Rent demanded after sale: €2,500–€2,650/month (?250 % increase).
- Abascal’s pension: €1,300/month.
- Urbagestión seeks €10,000 in damages from the Madrid Tenants’ Union.
- Protest numbers ranged from several hundred on site to thousands nationwide; about 300 people gathered outside the building.
Official Statements & Responses
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez referenced eviction restrictions in a UN General Assembly speech the same day.
- Patxi López placed responsibility on Madrid City Council and the regional government, noting owners rejected purchase offers.
- Mayor Martínez-Almeida said the city had offered alternative housing but declined further comment.
- Ministry of Housing urged city and regional authorities to intervene, criticizing the lack of a ruling on Abascal’s vulnerable status.
- City-council sources defended their monitoring of the case.
Criticism & Opposition
- Alicia del Rio called the eviction evidence of a “rental bubble” and said an anonymous donor offered to cover the rent difference, which the landlord rejected.
- Protesters chanted “Murderers!” and “Ayuso’s penthouse for Maricarmen.”
- The UN Committee’s June request to halt the eviction was not acted upon.
On-the-Ground Reports
Police used force to disperse demonstrators, dragging individuals as they cleared the entrance. Reuters filmed officers removing protesters and escorting Abascal on a stretcher. Hundreds of supporters, including actors Juan Diego Botto, Carlos Bardem, and singer Ana Belén, camped outside, reciting poetry and singing protest songs.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Urbagestión has not issued a comment. Sources differ on the exact rent demanded (€2,500 vs. €2,650). No definitive information is available about Abascal’s final housing placement beyond a relatives’ offer.
Why It Matters
The eviction highlights Spain’s housing affordability crisis, soaring rents, and the political divide over tenant protections versus market-oriented policies. It has become a symbol of long-term tenant struggles and intensified public pressure on policymakers.