Elderly Madrid resident allowed back into home after forced eviction protests
After mass demonstrations, an 87-year-old woman in Madrid will return to her flat under new rental terms.
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Madrid demanding an end to forced evictions and tighter rent controls. The protests centered on the case of an 87-year-old woman, Maricarmen Abascal, who was removed from her Retiro-district flat after a court upheld the new owner’s claim that her old lease no longer applied. After intense public pressure, her advocates reached a deal with the real-estate firm that now owns the building, allowing her to return on terms that keep her monthly payment at about €500, covering rent, utilities and building fees.
The incident has intensified criticism of both the national government led by Pedro Sánchez and the regional administration of Isabel Díaz Ayuso. In response, the cabinet is preparing a housing decree aimed at curbing evictions, though it still needs parliamentary backing.
Why it matters
The case highlights Spain's worsening housing crisis and could spur nationwide tenant-protection reforms.
How this story developed
- Sep 22 Hundreds rally to stop eviction of 87-year-old tenant in Madrid
- Sep 23 The fourth eviction attempt was carried out by police on Wednesday morning.
- Sep 25 Maricarmen was hospitalized and declined the mayor’s emergency shelter offer, opting to remain with family in Segovia.
- Sep 27 Hundreds of activists erected a tent camp in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol following the eviction.
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