Why Housing Protests Are Growing in Spain
The eviction of 87-year-old María del Carmen “Maricarmen” Abascal from her Madrid home, after she could not afford a steep rent increase, led to protests across Spain. Demonstrations over housing and living costs have since taken place in Portugal, Italy and France, where rising costs and housing insecurity are shared concerns.
In a Nutshell
- Spain’s latest protest wave surged after 87-year-old María del Carmen “Maricarmen” Abascal was evicted from her Madrid home on September 23, 2026, after living there for about seven decades.
- Her eviction became a rallying point for a longer-running housing movement, driven by high rents, scarce affordable homes, evictions and concerns about tourist rentals and property speculation.
- Protests and encampments spread from Madrid to other Spanish cities. Abascal reached an agreement to return to her home, but died in the hospital on October 7, before she could return.
- Spain’s parliament rejected emergency housing decrees on October 2. The government later approved 21 new measures, while Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election for November 29. Spain’s largest unions also announced a housing-focused general strike for November 11.
- In Portugal, thousands protested against housing and living costs, with camps in Porto and Lisbon. In Milan, a march over living costs ended in clashes, fires and around 50 detentions, according to reports cited by The Guardian.
Context
Housing protests in Spain did not begin with Maricarmen’s eviction. Demonstrations in 2024 and 2025 had already challenged rising rents, a shortage of affordable homes and the effects of tourism on local housing markets. The September 23 eviction of Abascal, who had lived in her Madrid apartment for decades, gave that frustration a direct focus. Protests and a camp in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol spread to other Spanish cities. Although an agreement was reached for her to return, she died in the hospital on October 7.
The crisis then became a national political issue. Parliament rejected the government’s emergency housing decrees, leading Sánchez to call a November 29 election. The government has since approved other housing measures. Meanwhile, demonstrations in Portugal and Italy showcase local grievances over housing and living costs, rather than a single centrally organised campaign.
Why It Matters
In Spain, unions say rising housing costs have been colliding with wages and pensions, and with the cost of everyday life. They add that rent absorbs a large share of young people’s income. In Portugal, official figures show housing prices rose 124% between 2015 and 2024, about twice the EU average. When people cannot afford to stay in the cities where they work, the effects extend to family stability, local businesses, and the wider economy.
These protests also place housing policy at the centre of elections and public debate. Spain’s rejected decrees and the government’s replacement measures show how difficult it is to turn demands for tenant protection and affordable homes into lasting policy. In Lisbon and Milan, demonstrations show that the issue reaches beyond Spain, even though each country’s immediate concerns differ.