Protests in Madrid demand decree to stop evictions amid housing-owner myths
Hundreds of demonstrators have camped at Puerta del Sol demanding a real decree to halt evictions without alternative housing, while data show that owners with several rental properties are a small minority.
An 87-year-old woman named Maricarmen was evicted from her long-term home in the Retiro district of Madrid after paying a historic rent of 500 euros, prompting a wave of protests that started on 26 September. Demonstrators have set up a camp at Puerta del Sol, urging the government to issue a real decree that would end evictions without offering alternative accommodation. Valeria Racu of the Madrid Tenants’ Union framed the issue as a clash between rent-seeking owners and the state, questioning who truly governs the country.
Data from the National Institute of Statistics and the rental-platform Alquiler Seguro indicate that the majority of landlords own only one additional property, with only a small fraction possessing three or more homes. The 2023 Housing Law’s “large holder” category, which targets owners of more than ten urban properties, therefore represents a very limited group within Spain’s rental market. The protests aim to pressure the Sánchez administration into adopting stronger tenant protections.
Why it matters
The protests highlight growing public pressure on Spain's housing policy and challenge the perception that a few landlords dominate the rental market.
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