Full Breakdown
Eviction of 87-Year-Old Maricarmen Abascal Sparks Nationwide Protests in Spain
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Forced Eviction on September 23, 2026
On September 23, 2026 riot police and social-services officials removed 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her apartment on Calle Alcalde Sainz de Baranda in Madrid’s Retiro district. After a brief negotiation between her lawyer Beatriz Duro and court officers, the eviction proceeded. Abascal was taken on a stretcher to an ambulance and later to a hospital. The owner, Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S.L., demanded €2,650 per month—more than five times the €500 she had paid for decades—leaving her pension insufficient.
Background & Context: Historic Lease and Prolonged Legal Battle
Abascal’s tenancy stemmed from a regulated lease signed by her father in 1956, passed to her mother and then to her in 2005. The building was sold in 2018 to Urbagestión, which argued the second succession was invalid. Spain’s Supreme Court ruled for the owners in March 2026, overturning a lower-court decision that had protected Abascal. This eviction was the fourth attempt; earlier attempts in late 2025 and June 2 were blocked or postponed.
Data & Statistics: Rent Increase, Income, and Housing Shortage
- Rent demand: Union figures cite a 275 % increase to €2,650 per month; other reports describe a roughly 400 % rise to €2,500.
- Income: Abascal receives a state pension of about €1,350–€1,500 per month.
- Housing shortage: The Bank of Spain estimates a deficit of 550,000–700,000 homes, with public rental housing representing less than 2 % of the national stock versus an EU average of 8 %.
Official Statements & Responses
- Madrid City Council: Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida said the council had offered alternative housing, which she declined, and that municipal services had contacted her before the eviction.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez: Called the eviction a “social tragedy.”
- Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez: Said the left-wing coalition had tried to pass legislation banning such evictions and accused the conservative-run Madrid region of facilitating speculative landlords.
- UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: In June, the committee called on Spain to halt the eviction and ensure adequate housing for Abascal.
Criticism & Opposition
- Amnesty International Spain labeled the eviction a violation of human rights.
- Inquilinas de Madrid, a tenants’ association, criticized the city council and regional government for failing to provide suitable alternative accommodation or income supplements.
- Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun urged the national government to include an eviction moratorium in an upcoming housing decree.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Protest turnout: Government sources reported roughly 25,000 participants; organizers claimed up to 300,000.
- Rent increase magnitude: Union sources cite a 275 % rise to €2,650, while other outlets reference a 400 % increase to €2,500.
- Legal basis for subrogation: Sources differ on whether the Supreme Court’s March 2026 ruling fully settled the legality of the second succession or relied on a “legal glitch.”
What’s Next: Proposed “Maricarmen Decree” and Political Outlook
The Sánchez government is expected to present a “Maricarmen decree” that would automate renewal of rental contracts and tighten eviction restrictions. Passage is uncertain because the coalition lacks a parliamentary majority, and opposition parties have previously defeated similar bills. The issue is likely to influence the 2027 general election as parties position themselves on tenant-protection policies amid Spain’s housing affordability crisis.