In Madrid has announced a demonstration for Saturday, 26 September 2026, in support of 87-year-old Maricarmen Calls by the Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos put the start time at 18:30 at the Puerta del Sol; the march is due to pass along the Calle Alcalá and the Plaza de Cibeles allocated for 2026 may not reach farmers in time by Congreso de los Diputados The rally’s slogan is “Ni una Maricarmen más”.
The mobilisation was prompted by the eviction of the older woman from the Retiro district last week – an incident that has fuelled a wide-ranging debate in Spain about housing insecurity, the role of investment companies and the responsibilities of the authorities. Statements by campaigners and local groups criticise the policies of the Community of Madrid ; the property company Urbagestión is also at the centre of the allegations. According to the organisers, the national Ministry of Housing, the Ministerio de Vivienda y Agenda Urbana, has been asked to mediate. Media reports also point to protests announced in other cities. In Spain, the term commonly used for eviction is “desahucio”.
The organisers have announced symbolic actions, such as carrying keys, and set out specific demands: immediate protection for older tenants, stronger regulation of long-term vacant properties and purchases by investment funds, and more active intervention by public authorities to prevent similar evictions. Calls for political support have come from parts of the opposition in the region; at the same time, figures in regional and city politics point to the current legal framework and division of responsibilities, whose details have long been disputed.
Within days, the case has become a symbol of the growing crisis in the housing markets of Spain’s major cities. This puts increasing pressure on the authorities in Madrid and at national level to present short-term solutions for particularly vulnerable households. In the medium and long term, the question is whether the existing regulatory framework – from tenant protection and enforcement practices to the management of vacant properties – needs to be strengthened. The next steps should become clear in the coming days, including through parliamentary proposals and administrative initiatives.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).