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Tens of thousands of people marched through Madrid over the weekend. They were protesting the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from the apartment she had lived in for 70 years. The Madrid housing crisis protests that followed have become one of Spain’s largest housing demonstrations in years, and they have pushed the government to promise new rules within days.
Court officials carried Maria del Carmen Abascal out of her Retiro-neighborhood apartment on a stretcher on September 23, 2026. Supporters had tried to block the eviction. Her rent had risen from 500 euros a month to 2,650 euros. An investment fund had bought the building in 2018, according to US News.
How the Madrid housing crisis protests grew
Marchers filled central Madrid on Saturday. Many then camped overnight at Puerta del Sol, a historic plaza in the city center. More protesters joined on Sunday. Reporting from NBC News described a crowd that spanned generations, from students to retirees, camped out with handmade signs.
Demonstrators are demanding three specific changes. They want indefinite rental contracts instead of short-term leases. They want stronger measures against fraud in the rental market. They want a ban on evictions when no alternative housing is available.
The numbers behind Spain’s housing crunch
The Bank of Spain estimates the country is short roughly 550,000 homes. Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia face the sharpest shortfalls. Spain also ranks near the bottom of OECD countries for subsidized public rental housing, at under 2% of the total. The EU average is about 8%.
Investment funds have bought up buildings across Spanish cities in recent years. Rents have climbed well beyond what many pensioners and lower-income tenants can afford. That is true even as Spain’s overall economy has grown strongly.
What the government has promised
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez responded directly to the protests. “The government is working around the clock to bring a Royal Decree on housing next Tuesday,” he said. US News cited the remark in its report. His Socialist-led government plans to unveil new measures at its weekly cabinet meeting.
The government has not published the decree yet. Its exact contents will stay unknown until the cabinet meets and releases the text.
What happens after the Royal Decree
The immediate test is whether Sanchez’s government delivers concrete rent and eviction rules, not just a promise. Tenant groups have said they will keep pressure on lawmakers until legislation is passed, not merely announced. A decree alone does not guarantee new protections become law; Spain’s parliament would likely need to approve lasting changes.
Watch for the specific text of the Royal Decree, and for how landlords and investment funds respond once it appears.
Common questions about the protests
Why are people protesting in Madrid right now?
The Madrid housing crisis protests began after court officials evicted 87-year-old Maria del Carmen Abascal on a stretcher from the home she had lived in for 70 years, after her rent nearly quintupled.
How many people have joined the protests?
Tens of thousands marched through central Madrid over the weekend, with demonstrators camping overnight at Puerta del Sol plaza.
What is driving Spain’s housing shortage?
The Bank of Spain estimates a shortfall of about 550,000 homes, worsened by low levels of subsidized public rental housing and rising rents in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia.
What has the Spanish government promised?
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his government would bring a Royal Decree on housing to the following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, though its exact contents have not been published.
What are protesters asking for specifically?
Demonstrators want indefinite rental contracts, stronger fraud protections for tenants, and a ban on evictions when no alternative housing is available.
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