Spain’s coalition government has approved a package of housing measures, including a proposed ban on evictions until 2030, following protests over the country’s worsening housing crisis.
The measures were agreed by ministers on Tuesday, days after the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her Madrid apartment sparked widespread anger. Abascal was removed from the property on a stretcher last week and later admitted to hospital.
Health Minister Mónica García said the measures could provide relief to more than five million people. The package includes extending rental contracts until 2028, tighter rules on short-term and room rentals, and a ban on investment firms purchasing residential property.
“It is time to intervene in the speculative housing market and start striking a balance between ordinary citizens and vulture funds,” García said, while thanking housing activists whose protests had pushed the issue into the spotlight.
The proposals were issued as two decrees and take effect immediately, but must be approved by Congress within 30 days. The government is hoping lawmakers will vote on them as early as Friday.
However, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s minority coalition does not have enough seats to pass the measures alone and has previously struggled to secure support from right-leaning parties.
Míriam Nogueras, spokeswoman for the centre-right Catalan nationalist Junts party, criticised the proposals, saying large investment funds should be treated differently from individuals who had invested their personal savings in property.
The government has urged opposition parties to back the decrees. Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez said Congress now had an opportunity to respond to Abascal’s case and ensure that her experience led to greater protection for others facing eviction.
Housing activists, however, said the campaign was far from over. Madrid Tenants’ Union spokeswoman Valeria Racu called for further protests across Spain, while fellow activist Alicia del Río said they would closely examine the details of the measures.
Abascal’s eviction became a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis after her family’s apartment, originally rented by her father in 1956, was bought by investment company Urbagestión in 2018. The company subsequently increased the rent to more than Abascal’s monthly pension, leaving her unable to afford it.
Her lawyer said on Monday that an agreement had been reached with the company allowing Abascal to return home, although she had not yet signed the deal.
Protests have spread across Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Malaga and Cadiz, with thousands taking to the streets in Madrid on Saturday. Hundreds of tents have also been set up at the capital’s Puerta del Sol.
Spain is facing a significant shortage of housing. The Bank of Spain estimates the country is short of around 700,000 homes, while official figures show house prices rose 12.2% in the year to the second quarter of 2026.
Rental costs also increased sharply, rising 8.5% nationally in 2025, according to property platform Idealista. Madrid recorded a 9.7% increase, with Madrid and Barcelona remaining the country’s most expensive cities for renters.
