Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Madrid and camped in Puerta del Sol after the eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal from her apartment of seven decades. The national outcry over Spain’s housing crisis has pushed the Socialist-led government toward emergency parliamentary measures.
Eviction of María del Carmen Abascal in Madrid’s Retiro District
On September 23, 2026, María del Carmen Abascal, 87, was removed from the apartment where she had lived for more than seventy years in Madrid’s upscale Retiro neighborhood. Supporters who gathered outside attempted to block the action, chanting her nickname as emergency workers carried her out on a stretcher and placed her in an ambulance. The Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos de Madrid called the demonstration specifically to señalar a los responsables
of the eviction.
Tens of Thousands March and Camp in Puerta del Sol
Images of Abascal’s removal spread rapidly across Spain, drawing fierce criticism directed at public authorities and real estate investment firms often labeled as vulture funds. The incident catalyzed long-simmering anger over the country’s housing shortages and living costs. Tens of thousands of people marched through central Madrid on Saturday, carrying banners and chanting slogans demanding tenant protections, anti-fraud measures, and a ban on evictions when alternative housing is unavailable. Marchers directed their chants specifically at the administration of Isabel Díaz Ayuso and the central government with slogans such as Fuera rentistas de los barrios
and Rentistas culpables, gobierno responsable.
Following the march, multigenerational families and demonstrators refused to disperse, pitching tents in the historic Puerta del Sol plaza to maintain an overnight camp where Natalia Navarro, a 27-year-old actress, described the housing situation as unsustainable.
“The housing situation is unsustainable,” said Natalia Navarro, a 27-year-old actress who was among those camping out at the plaza.
“We are all out on the street because we are fed up.” “The wave of indignation and anger that has been unleashed is now unstoppable,” said Alicia del Río, a spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants’ Union, which led the protests.
Alicia del Río, Madrid Tenants’ Union spokesperson
Political Pressure Mounts on Spain’s Parliamentary Government
Corporate landlords and investment funds account for less than 10% of total rentals, with individual property owners representing roughly 25% of households. While left-wing parties like Sumar and Podemos are demanding property expropriations, nationalist parties such as the PNV and Junts advocate for streamlined building regulations and tax relief for landlords to moderate prices.
Speaking directly to the public uproar during a party rally, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed the displaced tenant by name and announced fast-tracked executive action.
“I have a message for you, Maricarmen: the government is working around the clock to bring a Royal Decree on housing next Tuesday. And I ask parliamentary groups to make one last effort to have it validated in the National Parliament for Maricarmen.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez
Economic Pressures Fueling Spain’s Housing Deficit
The Bank of Spain estimated a national shortage of approximately 550,000 homes last year, with Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia bearing a substantial share. Tourism and immigration-driven population growth have intensified the squeeze on urban centers.
Will the parliamentary groups make the effort Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez asked for to validate the Royal Decree on housing?