Spain’s anti-eviction law offers limited relief amid deep housing crisis

MADRID, 30 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

Spain’s Eviction Ban Until 2030 Sparks Political Battle as Housing Crisis Deepens

The proposed decrees—set for a parliamentary vote on Friday—mark the government’s most aggressive intervention yet in a housing crisis that has exposed deep social divisions, pitting renters against landlords and regional authorities against the central government.

The measures, which include rolling over rental contracts and restricting the activities of speculative investment firms, face fierce opposition from conservative parties and small landlords, who warn they will be unfairly penalized alongside large-scale investors. With Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s minority government relying on fragile parliamentary support, the legislation’s passage remains uncertain, even as public outrage over evictions—particularly the case of Maricarmen Abascal—has intensified calls for action.

A Symbol of Spain’s Housing Crisis Abascal’s eviction on September 23 became a flashpoint for Spain’s housing struggles. The octogenarian, who had lived in her Madrid apartment since the 1950s under a rent-capped lease signed by her father, was forcibly removed by police after her landlord, Urbagestion—a real estate investment firm—raised her rent from €500 ($572) to €2,650 ($3,010) per month.

The hike nearly doubled her €1,350 ($1,533) monthly pension, leaving her unable to afford the new rate. When police executed the fourth eviction attempt, hundreds of protesters—including activists who had camped outside her home for weeks—witnessed her being carried out on a stretcher.

Videos of the eviction circulated widely on social media, turning Abascal into a symbol of Spain’s deepening housing emergency. The incident sparked spontaneous demonstrations across Spain, with protesters gathering outside a luxury penthouse recently purchased by the Madrid regional government, led by conservative People’s Party (PP) leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso. Chanting "Ayuso’s penthouse for Maricarmen!" and "Shame! Shame!", activists accused regional authorities of prioritizing political symbolism over housing justice.

The hashtag #Niundesahuciomas (Not One More Eviction) mobilized thousands, with coordinated protests erupting in Avila, Barcelona, Cádiz, Oviedo, Seville, and Valencia. Meanwhile, at the United Nations General Assembly, Sánchez condemned evictions as "a social tragedy" and blamed Madrid’s PP-led government for exacerbating the crisis.

"This is not just an eviction—it’s the consequence of savage speculation and the red carpet rolled out to vulture funds," Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez García told reporters, naming Urbagestion as a prime example of the firms the government aims to target.

Economic Inequality Fuels the Crisis Spain’s housing market has become increasingly polarized, with wealth concentrated among the richest. According to Bank of Spain data reported by El País, real estate wealth now exceeds €7.4 trillion ($9.53 trillion), but ownership is highly uneven: the top 10% of households control roughly one-third of all property wealth, while the bottom half own just 15%.

The data also reveals a surge in large-scale property ownership, with the number of individuals holding two, five, or more properties rising significantly, while small owners with a single property have declined.

The government’s proposed decrees seek to broaden the definition of "vulture funds" beyond traditional private equity firms to include any entity engaged in speculative housing purchases. Rodríguez García explicitly cited Urbagestion as a potential target, though the firm has not yet responded to the accusation.

Abascal’s lawyer, Beatriz Duro, announced on Tuesday that Urbagestion had offered a preliminary settlement: the 87-year-old could return to her home by paying 30% of her pension (€500 per month) over eight years. However, the deal remains contingent on further negotiations.

Political Divisions and Small Landlords’ Dilemma The government’s plan has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and small landlords, who argue the measures unfairly lump them together with large investors. Junts, the Catalan pro-independence party holding the balance of power in parliament, has expressed skepticism, demanding safeguards for small landlords—who make up the majority of property owners in Spain.

"Lumping together those who manage millions in funds with individuals who invested their savings in a flat or restaurant is a mistake," said Miriam Nogueras, Junts’ parliamentary spokesperson, in an interview with RTVE. "We all agree that evictions by vulture funds must stop, but this decree doesn’t distinguish between them."

The conservative PP, led by Alberto Núñez Feijoo, has dismissed the government’s approach as insufficient. "Eight years of adrift housing policy won’t be fixed with an 11th-hour decree," Feijoo stated, advocating instead for dramatic increases in housing supply and tax incentives for young buyers—a market-driven solution starkly at odds with the government’s regulatory push.

Economic Strain and Long-Term Challenges Spain’s housing affordability crisis has worsened in recent years, with home prices rising nearly 50% over the past decade while rental availability remains critically low. The National Statistics Institute (INE) found that housing costs now consume a disproportionate share of household incomes: in 2024, 28.1% of renters at market rates spent over 40% of their disposable income on housing, compared to the EU average of 19.2%.

In Madrid, prices are 2.3 times higher than the national average, deepening regional disparities.

Academics warn the new measures may offer only temporary relief. Marta Soler Gallart, head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Barcelona, told Al Jazeera that Spain lacks the long-term public housing infrastructure seen in models like Vienna, where low rents are sustained through decades of state investment. "In Spain, social housing is often sold at market prices after a few years, undermining its original purpose," she said.

The proposed decrees, she added, disadvantage small landlords by extending tenancy agreements—though landlords can opt out if they prove they need the property for personal use.

The Road Ahead As Spain’s parliament prepares to vote on the decrees on Friday, the government faces an uphill battle to secure approval. Sánchez’s Socialist Party and its left-wing allies will need support from Junts and other smaller parties, but divisions over the treatment of small landlords threaten to derail the legislation. Meanwhile, protests continue, with activists demanding stronger protections for renters and greater accountability for speculative investors.

The outcome of the vote will not only shape Spain’s housing policy but also test the resilience of Sánchez’s coalition amid rising public frustration. With evictions set to be banned until 2030, the government’s success—or failure—will hinge on whether it can reconcile the demands of renters, landlords, and regional authorities in a crisis that shows no signs of abating.

Related: Urbagestion