Thousands rally in Madrid demanding stronger tenant protections
Around 25,000 people gathered in central Madrid to protest rising rents and evictions, citing the recent removal of an 87-year-old resident as a catalyst.
About 25,000 demonstrators marched through central Madrid on Saturday to call for stronger tenant protections, anti-fraud measures and a ban on evictions without alternative housing. The protest was sparked by the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, who had lived in the same apartment for seven decades.
Organisers, the Madrid Tenants' Union, said the rally highlighted the pressure on long-term renters in major cities where rental prices have surged. Analysts attribute the shortage of affordable homes to tourism, immigration-driven population growth and a Bank of Spain estimate of a 550,000-unit deficit nationwide.
After the march, activists set up a temporary camp with tents in Puerta del Sol, intending to remain until authorities removed them. Police observed roughly a dozen tents surrounded by thousands of participants.
"Housing is a problem that already affects all of society, all ages and classes," said Dora Garcia, a 55-year-old nurse. "Housing is a right, and we don't have it."
Abascal's rent had risen sharply after the building was sold to an investment fund in 2018, increasing from €500 to €2,650 before being reduced to €1,650, a level she could not afford. Courts had previously blocked her eviction three times, and her case has become a symbol of the broader crisis.
"This whole housing situation is heartbreaking. Maricarmen has been, in a way, the last straw that sparked this social unrest," said teacher Simón de la Riva. "It's unacceptable that funds are buying up homes, that people can't afford to live, that entire families are being evicted, and that an elderly woman has been evicted."