Full Breakdown
Madrid Eviction of an 87-Year-Old Sparks Nationwide Outcry Over Housing Crisis
By Drooid · · How we work
The Eviction Event
On September 23, 2026, police removed 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her apartment on Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street after a four-month legal battle. She was taken out on a stretcher with only 30 minutes to gather essential belongings. Hundreds of demonstrators surrounded the building, chanting “Maricarmen, you’re not alone” while riot police cleared the cordon. The eviction was carried out by a judicial commission after the Supreme Court upheld the landlord’s claim.
Background & Context
Maricarmen’s tenancy originated in 1956 when her father signed a regulated lease that passed to her. The contract limited rent to €500 per month, adjusted annually for inflation. In 2018 the property was sold to the investment fund Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión SL, which sought to terminate the lease and raise the rent to €2 650. The landlord later reduced the demand to €1 650, still above Maricarmen’s €1 350 pension. Spain’s chronic housing shortage is aggravated by a public-housing stock of only 1.2 percent of total dwellings.
Timeline
- 1956 – Lease signed by Maricarmen’s father.
- 2018 – Property acquired by Urbagestión.
- October 2025 – First eviction attempt halted by court.
- June 2, 2026 – Attempt postponed at the last minute.
- September 23, 2026 – Fourth and final eviction carried out.
Data & Statistics
- Rent increase demanded: from €500 to €2 650 (a five-fold rise).
- Final rent offer: €1 650 per month, 23 percent above the pension.
- Average rent or purchase price per square metre in Madrid has risen ~50 percent over the past decade (Idealista).
- Public-housing share: 1.2 percent of Spain’s housing stock (OECD).
- Reported evictions in 2026: 4 000; another source notes an average of three evictions per day in the Madrid region.
Official Statements & Responses
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the removal a “social tragedy” and blamed the Madrid city and regional authorities for failing to protect vulnerable tenants.
Regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso (People’s Party) accused the central government of “demagoguery” and defended a market-oriented approach.
Lawyer Beatriz Duro, representing Maricarmen, said the landlord refused any negotiation or temporary accommodation.
On-the-Ground Reports
Protesters camped overnight outside the building, with activists from Inquilinas de Madrid and cultural figures such as actor Carlos Bardem and singer Ana Belén joining the demonstration. Witnesses reported police using teargas and baton charges to clear the entrance, dragging demonstrators by arms and legs. An anonymous donor offered to cover the rent gap, but the landlord declined to sign a new lease.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
No source provides a definitive, independently verified total. Additionally, the exact amount of the rent increase (275 percent versus a five-fold rise) is described differently across reports.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I have lived here for 71 years and I don't want to leave,” — Maricarmen
- “The owner isn’t prepared to negotiate or accept any sort of offer. We have asked for a place where we can take Maricarmen’s personal belongings.” — Beatriz Duro, Maricarmen's lawyer