Full Breakdown
Maricarmen Abascal Eviction Sparks Nationwide Housing Outcry in Spain
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 23, 2026, police executed a judicial eviction order against 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal in Madrid’s Retiro district. After a four-hour operation she was taken on a stretcher to Gregorio Marañón Hospital and treated for exhaustion, stress and anxiety. This was the fourth attempt to remove her from the apartment she had occupied since 1956.
Background & Context
Maricarmen’s tenancy stemmed from a 1956 “old-rent” contract signed by her father and later transferred to her mother and then to her. She paid €500 a month, indexed to inflation. In 2018 the building was sold to Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión SL, which contested the sub-rogation and sought termination. After eight years of litigation, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled in favor of the owners, overturning a lower-court decision that had protected Maricarmen.
The case occurs amid a broader housing crisis: the Madrid region records an average of three evictions per day, and a 2024 Bank of Spain estimate identified a shortage of about 550,000 homes nationwide, with public rental housing representing less than 2 % of the total stock.
Timeline
- 1956 – Original lease signed.
- 2018 – Property acquired by Urbagestión.
- October 2025 – First eviction attempt halted by court.
- 2 June 2026 – Second attempt postponed.
- September 23 2026 – Fourth eviction attempt carried out.
- September 24 2026 – Socialist Youth denounce the eviction as a “social tragedy.”
- September 25 2026 – Health Minister Mónica García criticises the owner’s post-eviction proposal.
- September 26 2026 – Mass protest in Madrid, “Not one more Maricarmen.”
- September 28 2026 – Meeting between Maricarmen’s representatives, Urbagestión and municipal mediators.
- September 29 2026 – Council of Ministers to consider a new housing decree.
Official Statements & Responses
- She noted that the ministry had offered to purchase the apartment, but the offer was rejected.
- Deputy Mayor Inma Sanz (Madrid City Council) said the municipality had continuously offered Maricarmen various housing options and remained “absolutely attentive.”
- Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida said the city had provided social-service support and a residential placement, which Maricarmen declined.
Criticism & Opposition
- Mónica García, Minister of Health, called the owner’s post-eviction proposal “sadistic.”
- The State Confederation of Tenants’ Unions warned the case exemplifies the dangers of leaving housing “in the hands of landlords.”
On-the-Ground Reports
Hundreds gathered outside the building on Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street, chanting “Maricarmen, you are not alone.” Protesters slept in a makeshift camp; police used teargas, baton charges and a battering ram to force the door. After the eviction Maricarmen recorded a video from the hospital thanking supporters and urging continued resistance.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Rent figure: sources differ between €2,650 and €1,650 per month.
- Crowd size: official count ?10,000 versus organizers’ claim of 300,000.
- Alternative housing: the council says Maricarmen rejected all offers, while the tenants’ union says the only viable alternative would cost ?€1,200 per month, exceeding her pension.
What’s Next
- September 28 2026: Legal team, Urbagestión and municipal mediators will meet to explore a possible return to the apartment or an affordable rental.
- September 29 2026: Council of Ministers will vote on a housing decree proposing automatic renewal of rental contracts, stricter rent controls and a permanent eviction moratorium.
The eviction of Maricarmen Abascal has become a focal point for Spain’s housing debate, linking a single tenant’s struggle to nationwide calls for stronger tenant protections, rent regulation and public-housing expansion.