Spain proposes eviction ban as pensioner prepares to return home

Spain’s coalition government has agreed proposals to address the country’s housing crisis, including a possible ban on evictions until 2030, as an 87-year-old woman whose removal triggered protests prepares to return home. Hundreds of people remained camped in a Madrid square on Tuesday in support of Maricarmen Abascal, who was taken from her home on a stretcher last week. Demonstrators are demanding measures including rent controls and automatic renewal of leases without what they describe as abusive increases.

Health Minister Monica Garcia said the ruling Socialists and junior coalition partner Sumar had agreed on measures including extending contracts until 2028 and restricting the housing market involvement of so-called vulture funds. The proposals are to be divided into two decrees for parliamentary votes on Friday. The government is seeking to broaden the definition of a vulture fund beyond large private-equity firms to include companies that buy homes for speculation.

Housing Minister Isabel Rodriguez cited Urbagestion, the small company linked to Abascal’s eviction, as an example of a firm that could fall within the definition. Urbagestion did not immediately comment, according to the source. The minority government still needs support in a fragmented parliament.

Junts, a Catalan pro-independence party whose backing may be required, said it was not yet in agreement with all the measures. Its parliamentary spokeswoman, Miriam Nogueras, said protections were needed for small landlords. Abascal’s lawyer, Beatriz Duro, said Urbagestion had offered a preliminary agreement allowing the pensioner to return to her apartment.

Under the proposed terms, she would pay 30 per cent of her pension for eight years, around €500 a month, a level similar to her previous payments. Madrid’s tenants’ union criticised the government’s decision to split the proposals and said protests would continue until its broader demands were met. Duro said Abascal should never have been forced to leave and hoped the case would prompt a collective response to the housing crisis.