Madrid, 28 September 2026 – A tent protest that has been under way since Saturday at Puerta del Sol is putting the Spanish government under pressure ahead of Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. Hundreds of people are protesting for a housing decree that would regulate rents more strictly and suspend evictions of vulnerable households. The mobilisation was prompted by the imminent eviction of an 87-year-old tenant named Maricarmen, whose case has reignited a wide-ranging debate about Spain’s housing crisis.
The Acampada is organised by the Sindicato de Inquilinas. Its spokesperson Valeria Racu called over the weekend for the immediate adoption of a Real Decreto-ley, providing for automatic extensions of rental contracts, a ban on evictions without a prior offer of alternative accommodation, and measures against speculative practices in the rental sector. In reference to the high-profile individual case, the organisers have coined the name “decreto Maricarmen”.
The government led by Pedro Sánchez has confirmed that it is working on a draft and intends to submit it to the Consejo de Ministros on 29 September. At the same time, cabinet sources say discussions with parliamentary partners on the content and financial implications are ongoing. This suggests that the text may still change before it is approved. A final decision is therefore not expected before Tuesday.
There is a lot at stake politically. If the government reaches an agreement and it is later approved by parliament, the state would gain additional tools at short notice to tackle rent rises and evictions. If the proposal fails, protests are likely to spread and tensions to intensify within the coalition and with regional administrations. Legally, more extensive interventions sit at the intersection of tenancy and property law and the powers of the Autonomous Communities.
Demands, statements and facts must be clearly distinguished: the organisers of the Acampada are setting out political aims that are not currently law. The government has so far only announced that it will put forward a draft Real Decreto-ley; until it is presented, the specific provisions and the scope of individual measures remain unclear. Whatever the outcome, the protest has once again put housing at the top of Madrid’s domestic political agenda and significantly raised expectations of swift government action.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).