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Madrid eviction of 87-year-old woman sparks national housing crisis protests
An 87-year-old woman, Maricarmen Abascal, was forcibly evicted from her Madrid apartment on Wednesday after a long-standing legal dispute. Abascal had resided in the property in the Retiro district since 1956, originally under a protected 'old rent' agreement. The eviction followed a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the property owners, Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S. L., which had acquired the building in 2018.
The dispute intensified after the real estate company attempted to increase the monthly rent from approximately 500 euros to as much as 2,650 euros. Despite attempts by legal teams and the Ministry of Housing to mediate or secure alternative housing, the eviction proceeded. The event sparked widespread protests in Madrid and other Spanish cities, with activists and high-profile figures condemning the action as a symptom of Spain’s housing crisis.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the eviction as a ‘social tragedy’ and announced that the government would urgently present a new royal decree to provide protection against evictions for vulnerable households. The incident has fueled political tension between the central government and the Community of Madrid regarding housing rights and speculative real estate practices.
Entities
Beatriz Duro · Irene Montero · Isabel Díaz Ayuso · Madrid · Maricarmen Abascal · María del Carmen Abascal · Oviedo · Pedro Sánchez · Planifica Madrid · Sindicato de Inquilinas · Sindicato de Inquilinas de Madrid · Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S. L.
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 15 SOURCES] Maricarmen Abascal has resided in the Madrid apartment since 1956. dailydigest.ie · www.elmundo.es · www.informacion.es · de.euronews.com · elpais.com · +9 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] The real estate company increased the monthly rent by 275%. dominicanaaldia.com · www.excelsior.com.mx · diarioparaguayo.com · www.cmjornal.pt · diariodelcauca.com.co · +1 more
- [● 12 SOURCES] The eviction was the fourth attempt to remove the tenant. dailydigest.ie · www.elmundo.es · www.informacion.es · de.euronews.com · www.excelsior.com.mx · +6 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The property was sold to Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión S. L. in 2018. dailydigest.ie · en.tempo.co · confirmado.net
- [● 24 SOURCES] The eviction was carried out on a Wednesday. dailydigest.ie · dominicanaaldia.com · www.elmundo.es · www.informacion.es · de.euronews.com · +17 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Approximately 10,000 people protested in Madrid. www.deia.eus · www.elplural.com · www.dn.pt · www.elmundo.es
- [● 3 SOURCES] Protests against the eviction occurred in 12 different Spanish cities. www.deia.eus · es.euronews.com · reportediario.cl
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the property owners. dailydigest.ie · dominicanaaldia.com · www.informacion.es · www.excelsior.com.mx · diarioparaguayo.com