Spain’s housing crisis exposed by eviction of 87-year-old from Madrid home

The eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her Madrid home, where she lived for 70 years, has sparked nationwide protests and intensified scrutiny of Spain's housing crisis. An estimated 10,000 people demonstrated in Madrid on Wednesday, with 25,000 more gathering on Saturday. Abascal, who has a disability, was forcibly removed after an investment fund that bought her apartment demanded a 230% rent increase she could not afford. Rents in Spain have risen 80% in a decade while incomes stagnated, and social housing comprises just 2.5% of total stock, compared to 14% in France and 34% in the Netherlands. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez promised swift measures, while the leftwing coalition Sumar proposed expropriating Abascal's former home and rent freezes. The eviction has highlighted political divisions, with rightwing regional leaders like Madrid's Isabel Díaz Ayuso facing criticism for allegedly spending €6.3m on a penthouse office while downplaying the case.