Full Breakdown
Eviction of Maricarmen Abascal Sparks Nationwide Housing Protests
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On 23 September 2026, 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid apartment after the building was bought by the investment firm Urbagestión and the rent was raised sharply. The forced removal, captured on video as she was carried out on a stretcher, ignited mass demonstrations in Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona and more than 50 other cities. Protesters set up a tent encampment in Puerta del Sol and blocked the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, where police deployed tear-gas, rubber bullets and batons.
Background and Context
Spain’s rental market has contracted over the past decade, leaving a small stock of rental units and driving rents upward. The Socialist-led minority government introduced two emergency decrees in early October 2026—one to suspend evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030 and to tax tourist-let apartments, the other to grant automatic renewal of rental contracts. Both measures were rejected in Congress (first decree 178-172, second 184-166) by a coalition of the centre-right People’s Party (PP), the far-right Vox, and the pro-independence Together for Catalonia (JxCat).
Data and Statistics
- Average rent in Spain has almost doubled in ten years; price per square metre rose from €8.20 in 2016 to €15 in 2026 (Idealista).
- 26 % of renters spend about 40 % of their income on rent and utilities, versus an EU average of 18 % (government).
- The Bank of Spain estimates a shortfall of 700 000 homes, potentially reaching one million by 2028.
- House prices increased 12.2 % in the past year; Madrid rents rose 9.7 % in 2025 (Idealista).
Official Statements & Responses
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a snap general election for 29 November in a televised address, pledging to “overcome vested interests” and “deliver new social advances.” He added, “This is not a question of ideology; it is a question of humanity.”
Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo (People’s Party) promised to build 250 000 new homes a year and to speed up urban planning, arguing that housing policy should focus on construction rather than regulation.
Criticism & Opposition
Economist Jorge Galindo (Centre for Economic Policy EsadeEcPol) warned that aggressive restrictions on private investors could “chill construction projects,” creating a trade-off between protecting current tenants and expanding supply.
The People’s Party and Vox argued that rent caps and purchase bans would reduce housing supply, insisting that new construction is the only viable solution.
On-the-Ground Reports
Marta, a 28-year-old Madrid resident, told Reuters, “We need a bit of humanity in how we deal with this.” Protesters in Puerta del Sol reported sleeping in tents for weeks, chanting “Not even one more Maricarmen!” and shaking keys to symbolize the demand for secure tenancy.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Protest size in Madrid varies: government estimates 70 000 participants, while the Tenants’ Union claims 500 000; CNN reported 950 000 nationwide.
- Reported rent increase for Abascal’s flat ranges from a 230 % hike to an attempted 300 % increase before a reduced figure of €1 650 was settled.
What’s Next
The snap election is scheduled for 29 November 2026. The Tenants’ Union has announced plans for a 24-hour general strike in the autumn, pending a final date. Opposition parties are preparing campaign platforms centred on large-scale housing construction, while the Sánchez government is expected to continue framing the election around the unresolved housing crisis.