Thousands took to the streets in central Madrid on Saturday to protest against Spain's housing crisis. The protest was held following the eviction of María Carmen A. Pascal, an ٨٧-year-old woman who had lived in her apartment for seven decades.
Demands of the protesters
Protesters called for better support for tenants, anti-fraud laws, and a ban on evictions without providing alternative housing. This demonstration took place as rental prices in Spain's major cities have sharply increased in recent years.
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Pressure on tenants in Spain
Analysts say that population growth due to tourism and immigration has put more pressure on the limited housing supply in these cities. The Bank of Spain estimated a shortage of ٥٥٠,٠٠٠ homes across the country last year.
The government estimated that around ٢٥,٠٠٠ people took to the streets to protest against the housing crisis, while the Madrid Tenants' Union claimed that over ٣٠٠,٠٠٠ participated in the demonstration. After the gathering ended, some activists set up a camp in Puerta del Sol square, with some even erecting tents for overnight stays.
This demonstration followed the eviction of María Carmen A. Pascal from her home on Wednesday. She was transported to an ambulance while lying on a stretcher, supported by her supporters. One protester, ٥٥-year-old nurse Dora García, said: "We are here because housing is an issue that affects the entire community, all ages, and classes. Housing is a right, and we are being deprived of it."
According to Spanish media, María Carmen's father first rented this house in the affluent Retiro neighborhood in ١٩٥٦. After her parents passed away, she continued living in the apartment. In ٢٠١٨, the building came under new ownership, and an investment fund named Urbagest bought the apartment, raising the rent from ٥٠٠ euros to ٢,٦٥٠ euros.
María Carmen had previously had the opportunity to buy the apartment but was unable to secure it. The fund later reduced her rent to ١,٦٥٠ euros, but she could not pay that either. Courts had blocked her eviction three times, and extensive media coverage had turned her into a symbol of this crisis.
٤٣-year-old teacher Simón de la Riva said: "The housing situation is truly heartbreaking. María Carmen was somehow the last straw that sparked this social discontent, but we have been facing this problem for a long time." He also added: "It is unacceptable that predatory funds buy houses and evict families from their homes."
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