Spain announces ban on evictions after protests over 87-year-old woman's removal from flat

MADRID, 30 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

Spain’s coalition government has approved a sweeping package of housing measures, including a ban on evictions until 2030, in a direct response to nationwide protests triggered by the forced removal of an 87-year-old woman from her Madrid apartment.

This decisive intervention marks a significant shift in policy, aiming to address a deepening housing crisis that has seen rents soar and public anger reach a boiling point across the country.

The immediate catalyst for these measures was the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, who was admitted to hospital after being forcibly removed from her home on a stretcher last week. Her case has become a potent symbol of the systemic failures in Spain’s housing market, galvanizing thousands of citizens to take to the streets.

Health Minister Mónica García announced that the new measures are designed to bring relief to more than five million people, signaling the government’s intent to prioritize tenant protection over landlord interests in the face of a severe shortage of affordable housing.

The legislative path for these decrees is fraught with political tension. Pedro Sánchez’s leftist coalition government, composed of the ruling Socialists and the junior partner Sumar alliance, lacks a majority in parliament. Consequently, the survival of the decrees depends on securing support from right-leaning parties, a hurdle that has proven difficult in recent months. In April, a previous decree seeking to roll over rental contracts was blocked by these same right-leaning factions.

The government hopes to expedite the process, aiming to hold the parliamentary vote as soon as this Friday, though the 30-day window remains the formal deadline for approval.

Minister García, representing the Sumar alliance, outlined the broader scope of the Tuesday agreement, which extends beyond the eviction ban. The package includes the rolling over of rental contracts until 2028, stricter regulations on short-term and room rentals, and a prohibition on the purchase of housing by investment firms.

García framed the intervention as a necessary correction to market imbalances, stating, "It is time to intervene in the speculative housing market and start striking a balance between ordinary citizens and vulture funds." She explicitly credited the public demonstrations for the government’s action, adding, "Thanks to the mobilisations and the encampments. Without you, this would not have been possible."

However, the measures have drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures who argue that the legislation fails to distinguish between institutional investors and individual property owners.

Míriam Nogueras, spokeswoman for the centre-right Catalan nationalist party Junts, told Spanish public broadcaster RTVE that the agreement left "small landlords out in the cold." She acknowledged that evictions involving properties owned by large funds or "vulture funds" managing millions of euros need to be stopped, but she argued that lumping together those who have invested their personal savings in a flat, a restaurant, or other property into the same category is a mistake.

This distinction is crucial for the government, as Junts’ support is likely required to pass the decrees, and the party’s base includes many small-scale landlords.

Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez urged political parties to back the decrees, framing the legislative vote as a moral imperative. "Congress has the opportunity to tell Maricarmen that her suffering was worth it... and that many people will benefit from her battle," she said. The emotional weight of Abascal’s case has permeated the political discourse, with the minority government leveraging the social momentum to pressure reluctant allies.

Pablo Bustinduy, minister of social rights, described the cabinet-approved measures as "a first step towards the economic and social transformation of the country," highlighting the internal determination within the coalition to enact structural change.

The negotiations between the coalition partners were intense, with Sumar’s tough stance on housing issues playing a pivotal role in the final agreement. Bustinduy and his alliance entered the talks determined to take a stand on the issue, which they view as a core component of their political platform. This firm position was a major reason why the discussions between the Socialists and Sumar went down to the wire ahead of Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.

The resulting package reflects the specific demands of housing activists who have been protesting in Madrid, Barcelona, and other cities in recent days, including the temporary ban on evictions and the restriction on investment firm purchases.

Despite the government’s announcement, activists remain vigilant, viewing the cabinet approval as only the beginning of the struggle. Valeria Racu, a spokeswoman for the Madrid Tenants’ Union, stated that the battle had "only just begun" and called for further protests across Spain next weekend. Alicia del Río, another spokeswoman for the organization, emphasized the need for close scrutiny of the final text.

"We all have our eyes on the text, on the small print, to make sure this is the Maricarmen decree," she said, indicating that the group will monitor the legislative process to ensure the promises made in the decrees are not diluted during parliamentary debate.

The personal circumstances of Maricarmen Abascal illustrate the harsh realities of the housing crisis that the new laws aim to address. Her father first rented the flat in 1956, and she continued to live there after her parents died, benefiting from a cap on the rent. This stability was disrupted in 2018 when investment company Urbagestión bought the property.

The new owner raised the monthly rent to an amount exceeding Abascal’s monthly pension, rendering her unable to pay. Ahead of the government’s announcement, Abascal’s lawyer revealed that she would be allowed to return to her home after reaching a deal with the company on Monday. However, Abascal, who is still in hospital, was unable to attend the meeting and has yet to sign the agreement.

The housing crisis extends beyond Madrid, with similar incidents occurring in other major cities. In the north-eastern city of Zaragoza, the eviction of another woman, Esmeralda Tejero, was temporarily suspended on Tuesday. Tejero, 51, has lived in a flat in the city for eight years with her 11-year-old daughter. She told Catalan newspaper el Periódico on Monday that she stopped paying rent because she could not afford it alongside her daily living costs.

Her case, like Abascal’s, underscores the widespread financial strain on tenants facing rising costs in a market with limited supply.

The scale of the housing shortage is starkly illustrated by recent data. The Bank of Spain estimates that the country is short of 700,000 homes, a figure based on the gap between demand and new construction. This deficit has driven prices to historic highs. According to figures for the second quarter of 2026 from the national statistics institute INE, house prices have risen by 12.2% in the past year.

The rental market has been equally volatile, with costs rising by 8.5% in 2025, according to real estate firm Idealista. Madrid alone saw an increase of 9.7% in rents, reflecting the intense competition for limited housing stock in the capital.

Idealista’s data further highlights the geographic disparities in housing costs, identifying Barcelona and Madrid as Spain’s most expensive cities to rent a home. In Barcelona, the average rent stands at €23.80 per square metre, while in Madrid, it is €22.70 per square metre. These figures provide context for the public outrage that has fueled the recent protests.

The combination of soaring rents, a significant housing deficit, and the perceived inaction of previous governments has created a volatile political environment. The question now is whether the social momentum generated by the Maricarmen Abascal case will override the reservations of right-leaning parties and ensure that this package of measures becomes law, fundamentally altering the landscape of Spain’s housing market.

Related: Mónica García · Madrid