The eviction of 87‑year‑old Maricarmen Abascal on Sept 23, after the real‑estate firm that owned her lifelong Madrid flat raised the rent dramatically, sparked national demonstrations and turned her into a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis.

The average gross monthly salary in Spain is about 2,460 euros, while a 50‑square‑metre apartment in Madrid costs roughly 1,170 euros a month, almost half a typical income.

Madrid, a city of 3.5 million people, has only around 10,000 social‑housing units. Because demand far exceeds supply, some apartments are assigned by lottery, underscoring the scarcity of affordable homes.

The shortage traces back to the Franco era, when a housing minister declared the goal of “a country of owners and not proletarians”. That policy discouraged public‑housing construction and left a tiny stock for today’s renters.

Construction has also collapsed. Jorge Galindo, director of the Center for Economic Policy at Esade business school, notes that new builds fell from roughly 260,000 units per year in the 1990s to just 92,000 in 2025.

Tourist short‑term rentals and large investment funds buying properties have further tightened the market, pushing rents higher and limiting options for ordinary families.

Housing reform proposals – tighter eviction rules, a ban on speculative purchases and automatic lease renewals – were rejected by parliament, prompting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call a snap election for Nov 29.

With young people and low‑income renters bearing the brunt, the crisis has become a decisive issue in the upcoming vote, shaping Spain’s social and economic future.