The case has resonated with many people across Europe and beyond:
87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal is permitted to return to the Madrid apartment where she has lived for seven decades. Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, announced on Monday that an agreement had been reached; once signed, the outcome would be favorable for all parties involved.
The situation was triggered by her eviction on Wednesday: Abascal was carried out of the apartment on a stretcher after an investor raised the rent by 275 percent—to 2,650 euros—according to the tenants’ association. The case sparked nationwide outrage. As recently as Monday, around 2,000 people protested in Barcelona during a visit by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Catalan tenants’ rights advocate Carme Arcarazo demanded effective protection rather than a mere stopgap measure: a halt to rent increases, a ban on fixed-term contracts, and an end to evictions. The government plans to present a legislative package on Tuesday but lacks a parliamentary majority; a previous attempt had already failed.
In Madrid, demonstrators held their ground at a camp in Puerta del Sol until news of the agreement broke. On Saturday, tens of thousands had demonstrated in the capital against the housing crisis and high rents. Housing has long been considered the most pressing issue in Spain. According to Idealista, average rents have nearly doubled over the past decade. The central bank estimates a housing shortage of more than 700,000 units.
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