Thousands marched in Madrid on Thursday following the death of 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal, whose recent eviction spurred Spain’s prime minister to call snap elections. Protesters voiced widespread frustration over rising rents and stagnant wages as housing costs continue to outpace earnings nationwide.
Thousands of demonstrators filled the streets of Madrid on Thursday to honor María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman known as Maricarmen, who passed away on Wednesday. Her eviction two weeks prior drew national attention and led Spain’s left-wing prime minister to call snap elections centered on the housing crisis.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez framed the upcoming elections as an opportunity for his left-wing bloc to secure a parliamentary majority capable of tackling the crisis. Conservative and far-right parties have positioned the vote as a direct referendum on Mr. Sánchez himself.
Traditional homeownership is sliding out of reach, though only about 20 percent of people in Spain rent their homes.
Protesters Camp in Puerta del Sol
Hundreds of tents have been pitched in Madrid’s central Puerta del Sol plaza since the eviction of Ms. Abascal. Alejandra Osés, a 22-year-old creative writing graduate student who has camped there for 10 days, stated that Maricarmen was the last straw.
Ms. Osés shares an apartment in Madrid costing €1,500 a month, roughly $1,680. She noted that her apartment hunt involved windowless spaces and rooms so cramped she had to squeeze past a wardrobe to enter.
Rents Outpace Salaries
Rents have surged 87 percent since 2015, while salaries have climbed only 28 percent, according to figures compiled by the newspaper El País. This disparity has left young Spaniards remaining in their parents’ homes into their thirties, newly arrived migrants packing into small apartments, and long-term residents forced out of their neighborhoods.
Professionals Struggle in Working-Class Areas
Carlos Sánchez, a 36-year-old architect, shares an apartment with a roommate in the tourist-popular neighborhood of Lavapiés for $900 a month. He noted that low-paid internships and stagnant wages leave many professionals with little financial outlook, though he considers himself fortunate to have a landlord who increases rent only in line with inflation.
It just eats up your salary. You’re left with nothing.
The upcoming elections will determine if the left-wing bloc secures the parliamentary majority sought by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
