Spain’s coalition government has approved a package of housing measures, including a temporary ban on evictions until 2030, following nationwide protests triggered by the removal of an 87-year-old woman from her Madrid home.
The measures were approved by ministers on Tuesday through two decrees that took immediate effect but must receive parliamentary approval within 30 days.
Health Minister Mónica García said the package could benefit more than five million people. Other measures include extending rental contracts until 2028, tighter regulation of short-term and room rentals, and a ban on investment firms purchasing homes.
The government’s move followed protests in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Malaga and Cadiz over rising rents and a shortage of affordable housing.
The case of Maricarmen Abascal, who was carried out of her apartment on a stretcher last week after being evicted, became a focal point of the protests. Her lawyer later said she had reached an agreement with the company that owns the property to allow her to return home, although she had not yet signed the deal.
Abascal had lived in the apartment since childhood after her father rented it in 1956. The property was bought by investment company Urbagestión in 2018, after which the rent was increased beyond the pensioner’s monthly income.
Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez urged lawmakers to support the new measures, saying Abascal’s case had highlighted the need for stronger housing protections.
However, opposition parties have raised concerns about the impact of the eviction ban and other measures on small property owners. Míriam Nogueras of the Junts party said treating individual landlords in the same way as large investment funds would be a mistake.
The minority government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialists and the Sumar alliance, does not control a parliamentary majority and will need support from other parties to turn the decrees into permanent law.
Spain is currently facing a significant housing shortage. The Bank of Spain estimates that the country lacks about 700,000 homes, while house prices rose 12.2% in the year to the second quarter of 2026.
