Tens of thousands flood Madrid over housing crisis
Tens of thousands of demonstrators converged on the streets of Madrid to demand the right to housing and protest against evictions.
The protests drew varying turnout figures. The Interior Ministry reported rund 25,000 participants, while the tenants union Sindicato de Inquilinas estimated the crowd at 300,000.
The eviction of an 87-year-old tenant
The march operated under the rallying cry “Ni una Maricarmen más” (“Not one more Maricarmen”). The slogan directly references the high-profile eviction of an 87-year-old woman who was forced out of her home in the capital’s Retiro district after 70 years.
Maricarmen lived in the apartment with her parents starting in 1956 and later assumed the lease. She became a focal point for the housing movement after the building was sold to a real estate company and her rental agreement was to be terminated. Following multiple failed attempts, she was removed from the premises on Wednesday and subsequently hospitalized.
Despite having a disability degree of 50 percent, Maricarmen delivered a recorded message through the tenant union urging citizens to persist. “I didn’t manage to defend my house, but I fought so that others learn to fight for theirs,” she said in a statement. In an interview with RTVE, she said: “Please, keep fighting.”
Protest camps and political pressure
Following the daytime march from the Puerta del Sol to the national Congress building, hundreds of demonstrators erected a protest camp consisting of dozens of tents on the square. Protesters described a grim outlook for housing security while maintaining an energetic atmosphere as they prepared to spend the night in the plaza.
Demonstrators placed political responsibility on both the left-wing central government of Pedro Sánchez and conservative regional governments, including that of Isabel Díaz Ayuso in Madrid. Protesters are pressing for legislative reforms, including the automatic renewal of rental contracts indefinitely, better protection against evictions, a freeze on rental rates, and tighter regulation of temporary leases and room rentals.
Political figures amplified these demands during the demonstrations. Irene Montero, a European Parliament member and politician from the left-wing Podemos party, called for the expropriation of 650,000 apartments held by so-called “vulture funds,” proposing that the units be used for social housing.
Nationwide rallies across Spain
The demonstrations in Madrid coincided with coordinated rallies held simultaneously across 11 other Spanish cities. The events drew citizens across multiple generations, including families, youth, and retirees.
Government response and upcoming decree
In response to the protests, the government is working to pass a new housing policy decree during its Tuesday ministerial council meeting. The proposed Real Decreto-ley would implement immediate measures against evictions, though the administration must still secure parliamentary approval within a 30-day window following enactment, requiring ongoing negotiations with multiple political parties to achieve the necessary legislative majority.
