Madrid protesters demand housing protections after 87-year-old's eviction

Thousands of people marched in Madrid on Saturday to protest Spain's housing crisis, demanding tenant protections, anti-fraud measures, and a ban on evictions without alternative housing, sparked by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman. The protest followed the Wednesday eviction of María del Carmen Abascal from her Madrid apartment, where she had lived for decades. Her rent was raised from 500 euros to 2,650 euros after an investment fund bought the building, and courts blocked three previous eviction attempts. Spain faces a shortage of about 550,000 homes, with public rental housing under 2% of supply versus an EU average of 8%. Analysts cite tourism, immigration, and incomes not keeping pace with costs as key pressures.