On a Wednesday in late March, an 87-year-old wheelchair-bound resident of Madrid’s upscale Retiro district was involuntarily removed from the apartment she had called home for more than seven decades. The eviction was carried out on a stretcher, flanked by police on one side and a line of demonstrators on the other, and was broadcast live on national television. The woman, known simply as Maricarmen, could not meet a rent increase that exceeded 200% of her previous monthly payment, an increase demanded by the investment fund that acquired the building in 2018.
Maricarmen’s lawyer described the forced removal as “completely disproportionate and unnecessary,” emphasizing that the fund had rejected offers to continue the tenancy even when a third-party offered to cover the new rent. The case quickly became a symbol of a broader problem: a housing market that has drifted far from the average Spaniard’s purchasing power.
The dramatic eviction of Maricarmen Abascal
The eviction unfolded in the early hours of the morning, with court officials, representatives of the fund Urbagestión and a small team of police officers escorting Maricarmen out of her flat. Despite her disability and the humanitarian pleas raised in the courts, the authorities proceeded, citing the legality of the rent contract. Vulture funds as critics label such investment groups, are accused of prioritising short-term profit over social responsibility, a charge echoed by housing advocates across the country.
Legal experts noted that the eviction was technically lawful under Spanish tenancy law, yet they warned that the ruling exposed a “law of the jungle” in a broken market. Over the past ten years, average rents in Spain have risen by roughly 80%, while home purchase prices have climbed by 63%, creating a widening gap between income and housing costs.
Nationwide protests and public outcry
Within hours of the eviction, streets in Madrid filled with an estimated 10,000 demonstrators, many carrying signs that read “Shame” and “Out with the vulture funds.” The following Saturday, government figures recorded roughly 25,000 participants converging on the city’s central Sol plaza, some bringing tents and sleeping bags to stage a temporary encampment. Similar rallies erupted in Barcelona, Granada, Logroño, and Zaragoza, signaling a coordinated wave of dissent.
Labour union leader Unai Sordo demanded that investment funds be expelled from the housing market, arguing that “homes are for living in, not for large corporations to do business.” The United Nations’ special rapporteur on the right to housing called the legal framework “impossible to understand” when profit overrides a person’s basic right to shelter. Meanwhile, the junior coalition partner Sumar announced plans to push for expropriation of Maricarmen’s former home and to introduce a package of rent-freeze measures.
Structural causes and political responses
Statistical data underscores the depth of Spain’s housing crunch. According to real-estate portal Idealista, the average price per square metre for rent or purchase has increased by roughly 50% over the last decade. In the capital, Madrid, luxury property rankings have placed the city at the top of global lists for two consecutive years, a reflection of the influx of capital from investment funds and short-term tourist rentals.
Public housing makes up only about 2.5% of Spain’s total housing stock, a stark contrast to France’s 14% and the Netherlands’ 34%, according to OECD figures. Consumer association OCU reported that securing an apartment for less than €700 per month in Madrid or Barcelona is now “extremely difficult,” highlighting the scarcity of affordable rentals.
Politically, the incident has intensified already-tense divisions. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the eviction as a “social tragedy” and accused the conservative regional government of prioritising a luxury penthouse over social housing needs. The regional leader, Isabel Díaz Ayuso of the People’s Party, dismissed the episode as “one out of the 25,500 evictions that occur each year,” while defending the legality of the court’s decision.
Both the centre-left coalition and the right-wing opposition have pointed fingers at each other, complicating efforts to pass new legislation. The coalition lacks a clear majority, and regional authorities retain significant autonomy over housing policy, making nationwide reform a challenging endeavour.
In the weeks ahead, activists plan additional demonstrations, and housing organisations are urging the government to consider measures such as higher taxes on speculative property holdings, increased construction of social housing, and stricter controls on short-term rentals. Whether these proposals will translate into concrete policy remains uncertain, but the public’s response to Maricarmen’s eviction has undeniably placed Spain’s housing crisis at the forefront of national debate.
