Spain’s coalition government has approved a package of new housing measures in response to widespread protests triggered by the recent eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid. Ministers convened on Tuesday to finalize proposals that include a potential ban on evictions extending to 2030, according to Health Minister Mónica García.
García stated that the initiatives would provide relief to more than five million people. Additional agreed-upon measures involve rolling over rental contracts until 2028, imposing stricter regulations on short-term and room rentals, and prohibiting investment firms from purchasing residential housing. She described the actions as necessary to balance the interests of ordinary citizens against speculative “vulture funds.”
The minister acknowledged the role of civil unrest in driving the policy changes, saying, “Thanks to the mobilisations and the encampments. Without you, this would not have been possible.”
The new regulations still require parliamentary approval, a challenging task for the minority government led by the Socialists and junior partner Sumar. Míriam Nogueras, spokeswoman for the pro-Catalan independence party Junts, criticized the plan for failing to distinguish between large investment funds and small landlords. “Lumping together in this category those who have invested their savings in a flat… is a mistake,” she told RTVE.
The controversy began last week when Maricarmen Abascal, 87, was forcibly removed from her home and hospitalized on a stretcher. Abascal has emerged as a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis. Her lawyer confirmed on Monday that she reached an agreement with the owning company to return home, though she has not yet signed the deal due to her hospitalization.
In the wake of the eviction, demonstrators established an encampment in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol plaza, which has grown to include hundreds of participants. Solidarity protests also erupted in Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, and Cadiz. Socialist Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez is scheduled to provide further details during a news conference later on Tuesday. The government has a 30-day window to secure a parliamentary agreement following the decree’s publication.
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