Madrid housing protest camp expands in Puerta del Sol

A large-scale protest camp in Madrid's Puerta del Sol has entered its second month, functioning as a self-organized mini-city to protest Spain's housing crisis. The encampment, which began on September 26, consists of hundreds of tents and tarpaulins organized into makeshift streets, plazas, and commissions covering urbanism, culture, and communication.

The movement was catalyzed by the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, an elderly pensioner whose rent was drastically increased by a real estate company. Her death has since turned her into a symbol for the protesters. The camp features its own infrastructure, including a canteen, a clinic, a library, and meeting spaces.

The housing crisis has significant political implications in Spain. While Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government proposed urgent housing laws to curb evictions and regulate tenant contracts, the minority government failed to pass them in parliament. This legislative deadlock contributed to the calling of an early general election scheduled for November 29.