Protests Erupt in Spain Over Housing Affordability Crisis Following Eviction of Elderly Woman

MADRID, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of various cities in Spain to demand help for renters after lawmakers rejected a package of emergency measures aimed at tackling the nation's housing affordability crisis. Large crowds marched in Madrid calling for a general strike and affordable housing. In the eastern city of Valencia, police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters who broke through the security perimeter outside the City of Arts and Sciences, where a real estate summit was being held. Images showed altercations between police and protesters, with officers using batons to strike demonstrators, who threw barriers. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Public outrage over the eviction of an 87-year-old woman has put Spain's progressive government under pressure to address the housing cost crisis. On Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced early elections to take place on Nov. 29, aiming to respond to his base's anger over the rejected housing measures. Around 1,000 protesters have spent the past week camped out in Madrid's Puerta del Sol after María del Carmen Abascal was evicted from her home of seven decades in downtown Madrid on Sept. 23. The protesters say they won't leave until the government takes real steps to protect tenants. A similar encampment has emerged in Barcelona's Plaza Catalunya. The Sánchez-led government responded with emergency measures aimed at restricting evictions, curbing property speculation, and giving renters indefinite leases. However, conservative opposition parties rejected the ratification of the measures in parliament on Friday. The housing crunch has been ongoing in Spain, impacting household budgets and angering voters, particularly affecting the poorest and young people who cannot afford to purchase homes and are squeezed by the limited rental properties available. The average rent in Spain has nearly doubled in the last decade, with the price per square meter rising from 8.20 euros in 2016 to 15.10 euros this year, according to the real estate website Idealista. The Spanish government reported that 26% of Spaniards who rent housing spend an average of 40% of their income on rent and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 18%. Spain ranks low among OECD countries for government-owned rental properties, which represent less than 2% of its available stock, while the EU average is 8%. Protests have been a common response to rising rents, with many blaming real estate speculators and platforms like Airbnb. The recent wave of protests was sparked by the eviction of Abascal, who uses a wheelchair, as she was carried on a stretcher from her apartment after police cordoned off the street. Televised images of the eviction prompted protests across the country. "I haven't managed to defend my home, but I have fought so that others can learn to fight for what's theirs," Abascal said in a video recorded from a hospital bed after the eviction. The real estate company that insisted on her eviction later reached an agreement for her to return to the apartment, according to her lawyer, who added that Abascal was "happy." Despite this resolution, she remains a symbol of the struggle against high rental costs, with protesters carrying signs stating, "Not even one more Maricarmen!" Demonstrations have continued in cities across Spain.