Spain Housing Protests Grow As Government Plans Response
At a Glance
- Housing protesters in Madrid have spent a third night camping in Puerto del Sol.
- Demonstrations have spread to several Spanish cities amid rising housing costs.
- The government is expected to announce new measures addressing the housing crisis.
- An agreement could allow an 87-year-old evicted tenant to return home.
Spain is facing growing public pressure over housing affordability, with protesters demanding stronger tenant protections as the government prepares to announce its response.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- Political Response: “Maybe we have to insist that political leaders, authorities find a solution to this.” — Pope Leo XIV.
- Systemic Housing Problems: “We have to try to see what the systemic cause of the problem is and how to help.” — Pope Leo XIV.
- Focus Area: The protests center on housing affordability, tenant protections, and the availability of alternative accommodation when evictions take place.
Madrid Encampment Enters Third Night
The encampment in Puerto del Sol began Saturday following the eviction of Maria del Carmen Abascal from an apartment where she had lived for about seven decades. The number of tents in the square has grown since the protest began.
Smaller demonstrations have also emerged in Seville, Malaga, Santiago de Compostela, and Palma de Mallorca, expanding the campaign beyond the capital.
The demonstrations have drawn attention to a housing shortage that is affecting people despite Spain's continued economic growth. Rising rents and property prices have made it increasingly difficult for many residents to remain in or enter the housing market.
Government Prepares Housing Measures
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's left-wing coalition government is expected to present a new decree at a news conference at 1100 GMT.
Spain has had a housing law since 2023 that provides tenant protections and permits rent controls in areas where demand is particularly high, provided local authorities request them.
The latest demonstrations are calling for additional measures, including action against fraudulent housing practices and restrictions on evictions when tenants have no alternative accommodation.
Abascal Reaches Preliminary Housing Agreement
Abascal, who was hospitalized after being removed from her apartment on a stretcher last Wednesday, is expected to be able to return home under a preliminary agreement reached with the building's owner.
Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, said the proposed arrangement would limit her rent to 30% of her income. This would keep her monthly payment at no more than the €500 she had previously paid.
Abascal's father initially rented the apartment in 1956, according to Spanish media. She remained there after her parents died under a rent cap.
The property changed ownership in 2018. Abascal was later offered the chance to purchase the apartment but could not afford it, according to the Madrid Tenants' Union, which organized the protest.
The investment fund Urbagestión later acquired the apartment and increased the monthly rent from €500 to €2,650. The rent was subsequently reduced to €1,650, which the union said remained unaffordable on Abascal's pension.
FYI
Spain's housing law introduced in 2023 established measures to strengthen tenant protections and created a framework for limiting rent increases in areas officially designated as stressed housing markets. Local governments play a role in requesting the application of rent controls.
The latest protests have brought the issue back into national attention, with demonstrations extending beyond Madrid as residents call for measures addressing both rental costs and eviction protections.
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