Eviction of 87-year-old sparks protests in Madrid over housing crisis

Madrid protesters set up around 100 tents in Puerta del Sol square on Sunday, marking their second night camped out in the central location. Their aim is to put pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over Spain's housing crisis. The demonstrators demand action to lower housing costs and protect tenants. Alberto Macias, spokesman for the Carabanchel Housing Union, said the camp would continue as long as necessary.

The movement was triggered by the police eviction on Wednesday of Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman, from her lifelong Madrid apartment. The incident sparked widespread outrage. Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar, 76, called the housing situation "absolutely unbearable" at the camp. Sanchez promised swift government action during a political rally, urging other parties to back a bill that could include automatic renewal of rental contracts and restrictions on evictions.

However, his party's lack of a parliamentary majority makes the approval of the package uncertain. Maricarmen Abascal's eviction, where she had lived for 70 years, has become a symbol of Spain's housing crisis. She urged Spaniards to join the protest in a video message. Surging rents have made the rental market impossible for many, with Idealista estimating a near doubling of rent in the past decade.

The Bank of Spain estimates Spain is short of 700,000 homes, driven by increased demand, tourism, and population growth.