María del Carmen Abascal passed away at the age of 87 after being evicted from her Madrid apartment following more than seven decades of residence. An investment firm purchased the apartment and subsequently aimed to increase her rent by 230%.
Approximately 10,000 people demonstrated in the streets of Madrid regarding the situation. Rents across Spain have risen by 80% over the last ten years, while house prices have climbed by 63%.
The Madrid tenants’ union asserted that the solution arrived too late for the octogenarian. In response, the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, called for a snap general election.
Sánchez’s cabinet subsequently approved two new housing decrees. These two new housing decrees incorporate measures such as facilitating the purchase or rental of a new dwelling and imposing a new tax on seasonal rentals.
Mónica García stated that Abascal’s difficult situation awakened awareness across all of Spain. Irene Montero stated, “This isn’t a death; it’s a murder.”
Irene Montero stated, “This isn’t a death; it’s a murder.”
Irene Montero
