Spanish Pensioner Set to Return Home After Eviction Sparks National Outcry

A dispute over the eviction of an 87-year-old Spanish woman has been resolved, with her lawyer confirming that Maricarmen Abascal will be permitted to return to the Madrid apartment she has occupied for more than seven decades.

Abascal was forcibly removed from her home on a stretcher on 23 September, an event that triggered widespread demonstrations across Spain and intensified scrutiny of the country’s severe housing shortage. Following her removal, she was hospitalized for exhaustion.

Her legal representative, Beatriz Duro, stated that an agreement was reached with Urbagestión, the investment firm that owns the property. Duro described the negotiations as marked by “goodwill from both parties.” The landlord agreed to reduce the rent to a level comparable to the previous contract, preventing the substantial price increase the tenant would otherwise have faced.

The deal, which Abascal is expected to sign once her health improves, averts a significant hike in her monthly payments. Currently, Abascal receives a pension of €1,350. Urbagestión had previously attempted to raise the rent to €2,650 per month after purchasing the property in 2018, though they later offered a reduced rate of €1,650, which remained unaffordable for the pensioner.

The resolution was welcomed by approximately 1,000 protesters who had gathered at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, where hundreds of tents have been established for demonstrators. However, the city’s Tenants’ Union has urged the government to implement more comprehensive housing reforms to prevent future cases similar to Abascal’s.

Madrid’s regional leader, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, criticized the protest encampment and the government’s handling of the housing crisis. She accused the central government of delaying action and introducing what she termed “sectarian” proposals. Ayuso highlighted Spain’s need for one million additional homes to address demographic growth, adding sarcastically that she might join the next protest if told at what age she could stop paying rent.

The case has exposed broader systemic issues in the Spanish rental market. According to the Bank of Spain, the country faces a shortfall of 700,000 homes. House prices have risen by 12.2% in the past year, while rental costs increased by 8.5% in 2025. Madrid and Barcelona are currently the most expensive cities for renters in Spain.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that his cabinet agreed on housing relief measures on Tuesday. The government, which lacks a parliamentary majority, is seeking to appease public outrage through a new decree supported by political allies. Left-wing ministers and Catalan party ERC are pushing for permanent tenant protections and a halt to evictions involving vulnerable individuals.

In a recent speech, Sánchez emphasized the moral imperative of the government’s actions, stating, “Patriotism also means preventing an 87-year-old woman from ending up on the street after a lifetime in her home.”