Key facts
- Thousands of protesters across Spain are demanding swift parliamentary approval of new housing measures.
- The Spanish government passed two decrees on Tuesday to ban evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030 and automatically extend leases.
- The protests were triggered by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her Madrid home.
- Activists criticized the government for splitting the measures into two bills, expecting the stronger one to be rejected.
- Court officials postponed the eviction of a university professor in Burjassot for at least 10 days due to protests.
Thousands of protesters across Spain are demanding that parliament swiftly approve new housing measures aimed at protecting tenants and curbing the country's acute housing crisis. The demonstrations, which included people camping out in Madrid's main square and other cities, were ignited by the recent eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her home of over seven decades.
Spain's leftist minority government passed two decrees on Tuesday that include a ban on evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030 and automatic lease extensions to prevent rent hikes. However, the full implementation of these measures hinges on approval by the fragmented lower house of parliament, which is scheduled to hold a vote on Friday.
Some activists argue that the proposed measures are insufficient. Julio Gomez, a 32-year-old pharmaceutical worker, stated that the measures might be a starting point but are "not enough." Others criticized the government's strategy of splitting the measures into two separate bills, anticipating that a stronger bill, which automatically extends leases, would be rejected by a slim right-wing majority.
The Madrid Tenants' Union, which organized initial protests, described some measures as "crumbs" but also called the government's move a "historic victory." Meanwhile, in Burjassot, near Valencia, protesters gathered to block the eviction of university professor Daniel Gonzalez, leading court officials to postpone his eviction for at least 10 days. Gonzalez has lived in his home since 2009 and paid rent on time for over 17 years.
The public outcry over the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal in Madrid led to a deal with her landlord, property firm Urbagestion, allowing her to stay in her apartment with unchanged rent. Urbagestion's co-owner, Ricardo Alonso, reported facing a pressure campaign over the eviction, including the delivery of a box containing live cockroaches.