The coalition government of Spain approved new measures on Tuesday to address the country's housing crisis. This decision came after public attention was drawn to the forced eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her apartment in Madrid, which led to nationwide protests.
New regulations for rentals
Monica Garcia, Spain's Minister of Health, announced that this law includes a ban on evictions until 2030, stricter regulations for short-term rentals, and a two-year extension for existing rental contracts. She wrote in a post on the social media platform X: "It is time to intervene in the housing market speculation and restore balance between citizens and investment funds."
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Government decisions and their implications
The Spanish government, led by Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister, approved these measures after holding a meeting. However, since Sánchez leads a minority government, he still relies on the votes of several other parties in parliament for this law to pass. Coalition parties were negotiating until Tuesday.
Isabel Rodríguez, Spain's Minister of Housing, is expected to speak at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. An image showing María del Carmen Abascal, known as Mari Carmen, being removed from her apartment by riot police stirred the emotions of many Spaniards who have long been calling for a solution to the housing crisis in the country.
María Carmen has been a tenant of this property since 1956 and inherited it from her father. A real estate company purchased the property in 2018 and took over its management. According to a Spanish newspaper, this company has attempted to evict her from the apartment four times, and their legal battle has lasted eight years.
This issue has drawn significant attention to the Spanish housing market, where many long-term tenants have been forced out of their apartments due to the affordability crisis and housing shortage. Protesters came out in support of Mari Carmen, and on Saturday, thousands continued their protest by setting up tents in the historic Plaza del Sol in Madrid.
Mari Carmen's lawyer announced on Monday that she would be able to return to her home, describing this victory as a result of a "social movement." Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, told reporters: "If this agreement we have reached is signed, it will certainly result in a better and more satisfying outcome for everyone."
She also added: "I hope this agreement and this new way of ending these types of situations, which unfortunately are experienced every day in this country, will help change the paradigm in housing."
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