Die Linke demands ban on evictions leading to homelessness

The German political party Die Linke is calling for a legal ban on evictions that result in homelessness. Party leader Luigi Pantisano stated that no individual should be forced onto the streets without the availability of affordable replacement housing.

Pantisano argued that housing is a human right and should not be used as a means to exploit people through rising rents. He noted that apartments exist for living rather than for squeezing residents with increasing costs.

The demand follows the death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal in Spain, who passed away two weeks after being evicted from her long-term residence because she could no longer afford the rent following an increase. Her death sparked mass protests in Spain regarding housing market conditions. Pantisano cited the Spanish case as a symbol of a rent crisis also present in Germany, referencing a similar incident in Berlin in 2013.