Madrid Eviction of 87-Year-Old Tenant Puts Old Rental Contracts in the Spotlight
Police on Wednesday evicted 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from the Madrid flat she had lived in since 1956. Reuters Abascal was named as the tenant removed from the home. DW She is 87 and has a disability. She will stay temporarily with relatives.
The flat is in Madrid's Retiro district. RTVE It is an old rent-controlled flat, known in Spain as a renta antigua, in central Madrid. El País That means the lease comes from an older system with low rents and strict limits on increases. The owner is Urbagestión, a real estate company. El País
Hundreds of people gathered outside the home during the eviction. Reuters The removal sparked protests in Madrid. DW The Sindicato de Inquilinas, the tenants' union, called protests in 12 cities afterward. The government criticised the eviction order. RTE It is now seeking support to approve new anti-eviction measures on Tuesday. El País Sumar has demanded that expropriation of the house — a forced purchase by the state — be taken to the Council of Ministers in a housing decree.
The broader context here is why one old lease in Retiro reached the national government so quickly. These renta antigua contracts sit where three things meet: contract law, property rights, and protection for vulnerable tenants. Each eviction tests how courts and officials apply protections for elderly and disabled people. Each disputed removal also adds political pressure far beyond the building itself.
Looking at what this means for policy, the next step is a vote. The government still needs support for Tuesday's measures. That debate will show whether lawmakers stick to changes in eviction procedures or move toward stronger tools such as expropriation. With protests planned in 12 cities, tenant groups plan to keep that choice in public view.
