Forced eviction of an 87-year-old in Madrid triggers a wave of protests for affordable housing

In Madrid, an investor drastically increases the rent of an 87-year-old woman - to 2,650 euros per month. The senior citizen cannot pay this and is forcibly removed from her apartment. The case sparked a wave of protests in Spain.

A few days after the eviction of an 87-year-old in Madrid, thousands of people demonstrated in the Spanish capital for affordable housing and more tenant protection. Images of Maricarmen Abascal being taken from her apartment on a stretcher on Wednesday have reignited the debate over affordable housing in Spain. “You could be the next Maricarmen” and “Not a single Maricarmen anymore,” said banners at the demonstration.

A few hours before the demonstration began, Abascal called on Spaniards in a video message distributed by the Tenants' Protection Association to join the protest for affordable housing and better protection against evictions. “I want what happened to me to help prevent it from happening to anyone else,” said the 87-year-old. "I want it to give people the courage to fight and change the laws that allowed me to be evicted."

Abascal had lived in her apartment in Madrid for 70 years. The apartment was evicted on Wednesday after an investor purchased the property and increased the rent by 275 percent to 2,650 euros per month. The 87-year-old has been in the hospital since then.

There have been daily protests in Spain since Abascal's eviction. Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is under pressure after he announced last year that he would address the housing crisis. The cabinet wants to discuss a package of measures known as the “Maricarmen Decree” next week. This includes automatic extension of rental agreements and stricter regulations for evictions.

Critics blame, among other things, real estate funds and short-term rentals via platforms such as Airbnb for rising prices and the shortage of available living space in Spain.