Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pledged to fast-track a new housing decree on Tuesday, responding directly to public outrage over the eviction of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old pensioner from Madrid. Speaking at a Socialist Party (PSOE) rally in Getafe on Sunday, Sánchez declared that his administration is working "against the clock" to present the legislative package to the Council of Ministers.
"Maricarmen, I have a message for you," Sánchez said, framing the housing crisis as a non-partisan "matter of humanity" that transcends political lines. He called on parliamentary factions to make "one last effort" to pass the decree in Congress. This response followed a video recorded by Maricarmen on Saturday, where she pleaded with the prime minister to pass laws preventing others from suffering her fate.
Maricarmen, who lived in her flat in Madrid's Retiro neighborhood for seven decades, was removed from her home on a stretcher and remains hospitalized. Her eviction has galvanized mass demonstrations. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people marched in Madrid to demand lower rents and stronger tenant protections. Following the march, demonstrators established a camp of around 100 tents in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square, spending their first night there on Sunday.
Inside the spontaneous Puerta del Sol camp, protesters organized banner-making workshops, communal meals, and yoga classes. Similar solidarity gatherings have been announced in other Spanish cities, including Burgos, León, Córdoba, and Almería. Oscar-winning filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, 76, visited the Madrid camp on Sunday, calling the housing situation "unbearable." Speaking to public broadcaster RTVE, Almodóvar stated, "Maricarmen is the last straw," adding that Spanish society cannot tolerate this crisis for another day and that politicians must fix it.
The crisis has exposed deep rifts within Spain's governing coalition. The left-wing Sumar party, represented by minister Pablo Bustinduy, has demanded the expropriation of the property so Maricarmen can return. However, Socialist minister Félix Bolaños rejected this, stating it lacks a "clear fit" under Spain's Constitution.
Bustinduy maintained that Sumar would continue pushing for expropriation despite the PSOE's stance. Meanwhile, the left-wing Podemos party warned the government not to dilute the proposed reforms, and the conservative opposition People's Party accused the administration of "using Maricarmen to do politics."
The government hopes to approve the decree on Tuesday after intensive weekend negotiations to secure a parliamentary majority. Sources indicate the government is optimistic about reaching a deal. Discussions with the Junts party reportedly include banning investment funds from purchasing additional residential properties and restricting tenant evictions from properties owned by these funds.
Despite the potential decree, the Tenants' Union warned they will only accept a robust package of measures, not a watered-down deal negotiated with Junts, meaning the Puerta del Sol camp may persist. The weekend's actions have drawn comparisons to Spain's historic 15-M "indignados" movement, which started on May 15, 2011, and saw protesters camp in Puerta del Sol for 28 consecutive days.
One female protester highlighted the shift in the crisis to Spanish television, noting that in 2011, "people protested because they couldn't buy an apartment," whereas today "the protest is about not being able to rent a room in someone else's home."
