Maricarmen Abascal is a determined woman who uses a wheelchair. She has needed that determination during the years she has spent fighting the real estate company that forced her out of her Madrid apartment last week. She had lived in the flat for more than 70 of her 87 years.
Police broke into her apartment after a judge approved Abascal’s eviction. By then, protesters had gathered around the building, including the actor Carlos Bardem, Javier’s brother. Tear gas was used against them. Abascal was taken to a Madrid hospital suffering from anxiety and extreme exhaustion, while her supporters chanted: “You are not alone.”
Demonstrations of solidarity with her and “all the other Maricarmens” have since erupted across Spain, with protest encampments appearing at Puerta del Sol square in Madrid as well as in Bilbao and Málaga.
Thousands of people are evicted from their homes in Spain every year. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, there were on average 44 eviction orders a day, mostly over rent disputes. Behind those figures, cases involving single mothers and elderly tenants often come to light. But no eviction has sparked such a public outcry, a national protest movement and a call for urgent political action as the story of Abascal.
Evictions are actually declining in Spain and are now about a third of what they were after the financial crisis. In 2014, there were more than 68,000 evictions, compared with about 24,000 in 2025. Spain is one of the fastest-growing economies in the West. Employment and consumer data continue to defy expectations despite global economic uncertainty. But many young people and poorer older people surviving on pensions struggle to pay rent or buy a home, especially in the most prosperous cities.
In Abascal’s case, the real estate company Urbagestión bought her apartment in 2018, ending her rent-controlled arrangement. Her rent was initially increased from €500 a month to €2,650, far beyond what her pension could cover.
The Spanish supreme court upheld Urbagestión’s claim that the tenancy was invalid because it had been transferred twice, first to Maricarmen’s mother and later to her. But the original 1956 contract was signed by her father under Franco’s discriminatory laws against women.
As Abascal lay in hospital, the company and her representatives reached an agreement, mediated by Madrid city council, for her to return home. The monthly rent will be similar to what she paid for years, about €500. This is a victory for the activism and solidarity of ordinary citizens who mobilised for a neighbour in need.
But her case reflects how property companies, banks and hedge funds profit from vulnerable tenants and their once-affordable homes. It is also a reminder of politicians’ failure to protect the right to “decent and adequate” housing, which has been enshrined in the Spanish constitution since 1978.
View image in fullscreenMaricarmen Abascal, 87, is transported on a stretcher to an ambulance after being evicted from her apartment in Spain, 23 September 2026. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters
The centre-left governing coalition has failed to change the law to protect the most vulnerable tenants from eviction and to push through comprehensive housing reforms.
On Tuesday, Pedro Sánchez’s minority coalition finally introduced a new housing bill that would ban evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, limit rent increases for two years and ban investment funds from buying houses for two years. The bill now needs to be approved by parliament within a month.
But Sánchez’s reliance on support from a range of parties since 2023 has limited his room for manoeuvre.
The socialist prime minister’s leftwing coalition partner, Sumar, had pushed for reforms to prevent cases such as Abascal’s. But Sánchez had shelved the proposals until now, fearing rejection in parliament. The latest uproar is forcing his hand, even if it means including tax breaks sought by Junts, a rightwingA nationalist Catalan party. Madrid’s regional and municipal governments, controlled by conservatives, were slow to offer Abascal alternatives until she was evicted, instead using the case to attack the national government. For the past three years, Madrid’s regional government, led by conservative Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has refused even to apply existing national law to limit rent increases.
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Spain’s highly decentralized system, with power divided among local, regional, and national levels, is once again the perfect cover for politicians to do the minimum and blame each other while individuals suffer.
Spaniards repeatedly name housing as the country’s biggest problem, but the issue has not received the intense political attention it deserves.
A few days ago, Sánchez visited Zohran Mamdani, who is becoming a reference point for the left in Spain and across Europe. Instead of trying to imitate the mayor of New York’s videos or his charm, fellow progressives could emulate his relentless focus on housing.
Mamdani supports solutions across the ideological spectrum, from pushing for the construction of new apartment buildings to taxing real estate investment funds. He supports public housing and protections for tenants in rent-controlled apartments, but also works with private developers, even exchanging pleasantries with Donald Trump to advance a proposal for a large urban development project over Sunnyside Yard in Queens, New York.
There are no magic bullets on housing. Fixing it will require hard work, smart planning, laser focus, and an open mind. Winning progressive politicians have only now started treating this problem with the urgency it deserves.
Will Abascal’s eviction prompt a new era in housing policy in Spain? If it happens, change will have come at a high price. It should not take the forcible eviction of an 87-year-old woman who just wants to remain in her home for the corrosive effects of unaffordable housing to be taken seriously.
María Ramírez is a journalist and deputy managing editor of elDiario.es, a news outlet in Spain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the article title It shouldnt take the eviction of an 87yearold to fix Spains housing crisis
1 What is the main point of the article
It argues that the housing crisis in Spain is so severe that it takes a shocking eventlike the eviction of an 87yearold womanto get the government to act The author believes the system should fix these problems before they ruin peoples lives
2 What happened to the 87yearold woman
She was being evicted from her home likely due to rising rents or a situation involving a vulture fund Her case became a symbol of how the housing market is failing vulnerable people
3 What is Spains housing crisis
It is a situation where housing has become too expensive for normal people to afford Rents and purchase prices have skyrocketed especially in big cities like Madrid and Barcelona while wages have stayed low This leads to homelessness and forced evictions
4 Who is most affected by this crisis
The elderly young people and lowincome families are hit the hardest Young people often cant afford to move out of their parents homes and the elderly on fixed pensions cant afford rising rents
5 What is a vulture fund
A vulture fund is an investment company that buys up distressed or cheap assets to make a profit In housing they often buy buildings and raise rents significantly forcing longtime residents out
6 Why does the article mention the eviction specifically
The author uses it as an example to show that the system is reactive not proactive It shouldnt take a tragedy involving an elderly person to force politicians to pass laws that protect renters
7 What are golden visas
This is a program that gives residency to foreigners who invest in Spanish real estate Critics say this drives up prices by treating housing as a luxury asset for the rich rather than a basic need
8 What is rent control
Rent control is a law that limits how much landlords can increase rent Supporters say it protects tenants opponents say it discourages people from building new housing
9 What are the common problems with fixing the housing crisis
