MADRID — Spain's government announced Tuesday that it will issue two cabinet decrees to keep evictions of vulnerable tenants on hold and push the current moratorium’s end date from 2025 to 2030. The measures come after 87‑year‑old disabled resident Maricarmen Abascal was forced out of her Madrid flat following a court order.
Abascal, who has lived in the same apartment for more than 70 years, was taken away on a stretcher last week. The eviction, captured by local media, sparked immediate protests. Hundreds of demonstrators set up camp in Plaza de la Cibeles overnight, and similar rallies erupted in Barcelona, Valencia and Seville, demanding stronger protections for elderly and disabled renters.
The first decree maintains the existing moratorium that shields households classified as vulnerable – the elderly, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence and low‑income families – from eviction. The second decree formally extends that protection until 2030, creating a decade‑long safety net for the identified groups.
Because the PSOE‑led coalition lacks a parliamentary majority, the government has asked for a special session on Friday to vote on the decrees before the 30‑day deadline expires. Opposition parties have warned that the bans could hurt landlords and tighten the rental market, while centrist groups have signaled willingness to back the social‑protection element if safeguards for property owners are included.
Housing officials estimate that hundreds of thousands of renters are at risk as rents climb, affordable stock dwindles and pending evictions pile up. Analysts say the extended ban could stop immediate displacement for the most at‑risk households, but it may also push landlords to impose stricter tenancy terms or raise rents elsewhere – an issue the broader reform package has yet to address.
If passed, the decrees will become law immediately, giving vulnerable tenants a ten‑year shield from eviction. The vote will be a litmus test for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s coalition, which must navigate a fragmented parliament to deliver on a key social promise.
The full housing‑crisis package, still under negotiation, includes proposals for rent controls and increased construction of social housing. No timeline has been set for those elements, and observers will watch the upcoming parliamentary session to gauge the government’s capacity to advance comprehensive reform.
The rapid response underscores how a single, highly visible eviction can catalyze policy action in a country grappling with a deepening housing crisis.