00:00A housing crisis that has been building for years has now erupted onto the streets of
00:07Madrid.
00:08Tens of thousands of people marched through the Spanish capital on Saturday, demanding
00:13action on soaring rents, evictions, and the shortage of affordable homes.
00:19And at the center of the anger is the story of an 87-year-old woman who was forcibly evicted
00:25from her apartment where she had lived for seven decades.
00:30Maricam and Abascal was removed from her home on Wednesday, reportedly on a Sletcher, before
00:37being taken away in an ambulance.
00:39Her eviction has since become a symbol of Spain's growing housing crisis.
00:45The protest was organized by the Madrid Tenants Union.
00:49Government authorities estimated that around 25,000 people joined the demonstration, but
00:55organizers put the figure at more than 300,000.
01:01Protesters marched through Central Madrid calling for stronger protection for tenants, measures
01:06against housing fraud, and a ban on evictions when no alternative housing is available.
01:12And after the main rally ended, some activists set up tents at Puerta del Sol, planning to
01:19remain there overnight or longer.
01:21So why has this particular eviction triggered such a large reaction?
01:27According to Spanish media, Abascal's father first rented the apartment in Madrid's upscale
01:34Retiro neighborhood in 1956.
01:37After her parents died, she continued living there.
01:40The apartment was originally subject to a much lower rent, but after the building changed
01:46ownership in 2018, the investment fund Herba Gestion reportedly raised her rent from around
01:53€500 to €2,650.
01:58That was more than five times the previous amount.
02:03Abascal was also offered an opportunity to buy the apartment, but could not afford it.
02:08The rent was later reduced to €1,650, but even that amount was beyond what she could pay.
02:16Courts had previously blocked her eviction three times, yet this week the eviction finally
02:22went ahead.
02:23And that case has now become a rallying point for people who say Spain's housing system is
02:30becoming increasingly unaffordable.
02:33The wider numbers show why the issue has become so politically sensitive.
02:37The Bank of Spain estimated last year that the country was short of around 550,000 homes.
02:45In major cities, rising rents, limited housing supply and gentrification have intensified pressure
02:52on long-term residents.
02:54Protesters also point to the role of investment funds, tourism and population growth in increasing
03:01demand for housing.
03:03One protester described the situation as a problem affecting people across ages and social classes,
03:10arguing that housing should be treated as a right.
03:13Another, said Abascal's case, was simply the latest incident to ignite anger over a problem
03:19that had been growing for years.
03:22But the debate is now bigger than one eviction.
03:25It is about who can afford to remain in Spain's major cities, how tenants should be protected,
03:31and whether governments are doing enough to increase the supply of affordable homes.
03:36And with Spain heading towards a general election next year, the housing crisis is likely to
03:42remain a major issue in the national debate.
03:46For now, Madrid has sent a clear message.
03:49Thousands have taken to the streets, and an 87-year-old woman's eviction has become a powerful
03:55symbol of a housing crisis affecting people across the country.
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