Spain’s housing crisis erupts in protest after 87-year-old evicted from Madrid home

Tens of thousands protested in Madrid on Saturday against Spain's housing crisis after an 87-year-old woman was evicted from her decades-long apartment, sparking national outrage. The eviction has become a symbol of the country's affordability struggles. María del Carmen Abascal was removed by stretcher from her Retiro neighborhood home, where her father first rented in 1956. After the building changed ownership, an investment fund raised her rent from 500 to 2,650 euros monthly, which she could not afford on her pension. Spain faces a shortage of about 550,000 homes, with public rental housing under 2% of supply versus the EU average of 8%. Analysts cite tourism, immigration, and incomes failing to keep pace with costs.