Elderly woman's eviction sparks protests in Madrid amid Spain's housing crisis

The dramatic eviction of an 87-year-old woman sparked protests in the Spanish capital Madrid on Wednesday.

Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her residence on Alcalde Sainz de Baranda Street, where she had lived for at least 70 years of her life.

"I have lived here for 71 years and I don't want to leave," Maricarmen told reporters as the eviction was being carried out.

Dozens of people protested behind the police cordon, chanting, "Maricarmen, you are not alone" and "Murderers!"

The case highlights the growing pressure on long-term tenants in Spain's major cities, where rental prices have surged in recent years. Gentrification and the shortage of affordable housing have fueled public discontent.

With only 30 minutes to gather her belongings, Maricarmen was escorted by riot police officers. She was removed from her home on a stretcher and taken to an ambulance.

An 8-year-long battle

Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that Maricarmen had rented the apartment from a private landlord until 2018, when a real estate company acquired the property and took over its management.

According to the newspaper, the legal dispute between Maricarmen and the real estate company has lasted eight years, and this was the fourth attempt to evict her from the home.

The elderly woman's lawyer, Beatriz Duro, said that the real estate company had rejected proposals from the legal team as well as requests to postpone her removal from the property.

The company has not made any public statements on the matter.

Alicia del Rio, spokesperson for Inquilinas de Madrid, a tenants' association that seeks to combat what it describes as the "rental bubble" in the Madrid region, said that Maricarmen was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.

She also announced that a writer, who wishes to remain anonymous, had offered to pay the elderly woman's rent, but the real estate company rejected the proposal.

Spain's housing crisis

Spain remains divided over how to address the worsening housing crisis.

The country's left-wing coalition government has pushed for stronger tenant protections and broader rent controls. However, it argues that as long as Parliament remains divided, it will be difficult to pass such measures.

Meanwhile, Madrid's regional government, led by the conservative People's Party, has favored a more market-oriented approach.

The president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, is currently embroiled in a controversy related to the purchase of luxury properties valued at €6.3 million ($7.2 million).