Madrid protests after eviction of 87-year-old woman — Channel NewsAsia

In Madrid, Spain, on September 26, thousands of people took to the streets in protest after 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from the apartment where she had lived for 70 years. Participants in the march demanded stronger protections for tenants, measures to curb rising housing costs, and a more difficult eviction procedure, Channel NewsAsia reports.

Protesters marched through the central streets of the Spanish capital to parliament. They rang keys, blew whistles, chanted slogans and carried placards. State authorities estimated that around 25,000 people took part in the demonstration, while organizers said there were 300,000 participants.

Eviction after rent increase

According to the Madrid Tenants’ Union, a real estate company bought the property where Abascal lived and then increased the rent by 275%, to 2,650 euros per month. Police broke down the door to her apartment, and the woman was carried out on a stretcher. After the eviction, she was hospitalized due to exhaustion.

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In a video address from the hospital, Abascal called for her case to help prevent similar evictions of other people and contribute to changing the laws. Alicia del Río, a spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants’ Union, said the woman’s eviction caused public outrage and became a turning point.

Pressure on Sánchez’s government

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called Abascal’s eviction a social tragedy that cannot be accepted. According to the publication, his government expects approval at the next cabinet meeting for a package of measures referred to as the Maricarmen decree. It provides for the automatic renewal of rental contracts and additional restrictions on evictions.

At the same time, it is unknown whether parliament will support the package, where Sánchez’s government does not have a majority. A similar bill was already rejected earlier this year. The Bank of Spain estimates the country’s housing shortage at approximately 700,000 homes due to a gap between demand and the pace of new construction.