Around 500 people woke up this Sunday at Madrid's Puerta del Sol at the end of the demonstration to protest the eviction of Maricarmen, the 87-year-old woman who had to abandon her rental home after 70 years in it, and demand the approval of a decree on housing, which they have dubbed the 'Maricarmen decree', in the Council of Ministers to be held on Tuesday.
After this Saturday's demonstration that brought together 25,000 people in Madrid, according to data from the Delegation, and 300,000 according to the organizers, under the slogan 'Not one more Maricarmen', dozens of people returned to the starting point of the march - which began in Sol and ended in front of the Congress of Deputies - to spontaneously resume the protest.
The Tenants' Union called for camping in Sol at the end of the demonstration: "Campling in Sol for the right to housing. We can't take it anymore. Either rentierism falls, or the government falls. Everyone to Sol!", the union noted in a message on its X account.
Specifically, the organization has demanded the automatic renewal of all contracts so that they become indefinite, as is the case in England, Germany or Austria, structural measures to stop evictions and the freezing of CPI updates in rental prices.
Likewise, the proposal includes a reform of the Urban Leasing Law (LAU) that regulates seasonal and room rentals, as well as effective extensions of current contracts.
Around a hundred tents have been installed in the Madrid enclave and a refreshment point has been set up to provide coverage for attendees.
On May 15, 2011, a massive encampment also took place at Madrid's Puerta del Sol that lasted several weeks until it was evicted by security forces.
This Saturday's march started at 6:30 p.m. from the Plaza del Sol in the Spanish capital and traveled through the center of the city, passing by the City Hall and ending at the Congress of Deputies. The protesters have displayed posters with messages such as 'Madrid will be the grave of rentism', 'A rent strike is needed now', 'Right to a roof', 'Stop evictions' and also other slogans against some political leaders, such as 'Ayuso's attic for Maricarmen' or 'Responsible government'.
In the protest, some slogans were also heard such as 'rentier minister, you are on our list', 'Ayuso, Almeida, go to hell' or 'Where is the progressive government?'.
Before the demonstration began, the spokesperson for the Madrid Tenants Union, Alicia del Río, emphasized that Maricarmen's case has marked a “point of no return” and has demanded that the Government approve this Tuesday the decree with the four measures that her organization proposes. From his point of view, if the Executive does not do it, “it stops making sense” and he has questioned whether it should continue.
Del Río has extended the criticism to both the Madrid City Council and the regional government headed by Isabel Díaz Ayuso. Specifically, the Madrid administration is accused of having turned the Community into a “paradise of speculation” and of spending public funds on “luxury penthouses.” The spokesperson for the Tenants' Union has stated that time has run out and that they no longer accept "living under these rentier laws that put life below the profit of a few."
This is the second mass protest that has taken place this week in Madrid after the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, who remains admitted to the hospital. From there he sent a video in which he appealed to maintain the mobilization: "If we all unite we can get permanent contracts, we can achieve what we set out to do. That's what I expect from you."
Meanwhile, the Government maintains that the objective is to arrive on Tuesday with a decree that includes an anti-eviction plan to be approved in the Council of Ministers and that has the necessary parliamentary support for it to be validated within a maximum period of one month, as established by law. The Ministry of Housing maintains its negotiations with Junts, whose votes are essential for the measure to go ahead. This Saturday, Sumar has threatened his Executive partner that he will cancel the meeting of the Council of Ministers if this decree is not approved.
