Thousands march in Madrid to protest eviction of 87-year-old woman
The eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal on Wednesday sparked a thousands-strong protest in the streets of Madrid Saturday, with demonstrators calling for greater protection for tenants. Widespread anger at rising housing costs have put pressure on centre-left Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose government is expected to approve a package of pro-tenant measures in its next cabinet meeting.
On Saturday, thousands of individuals took to the streets of Madrid to protest the eviction of an 87-year-old woman named Maricarmen Abascal from her lifelong residence. The demonstration aimed to raise awareness about tenants' rights and the need for stronger protections against rising housing costs and evictions. The incident involving Abascal has brought Spain's housing crisis to the forefront once again, just days before a general election scheduled for 2027.
Images captured on Wednesday showed police forcibly removing Abascal from her apartment on a stretcher, sparking widespread outrage. One protest banner read, "You could be the next Maricarmen." In response to the eviction, Abascal delivered a video message to Spaniards, urging them to join the fight against housing injustices and urging changes in the laws that led to her eviction.
She expressed her desire for her story to serve as a catalyst for change, encouraging others to stand up and help alter the laws that allowed her situation. The 87-year-old had lived in the apartment for seven decades before a real estate firm acquired the property and dramatically increased the rent by 275 percent, bringing the monthly cost to €2,650 ($3,000).
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who has previously vowed to prioritize housing as a government issue, is facing mounting pressure to take action. His administration is set to approve a set of measures collectively referred to as the "Maricarmen decree" during their next cabinet meeting. These measures are expected to include automatic renewal of rental agreements and additional restrictions on evictions.
However, the effectiveness of the decree remains uncertain as it may require parliamentary approval, a process that may prove challenging for Sanchez's government, which currently lacks a majority. Despite a similar bill being rejected earlier this year, Abascal's case has intensified the pressure on political parties to take decisive action on housing reform.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
