The Consejo de Ministros is due to consider the emergency housing package this Tuesday. The proposed Real Decreto Ley contains ten measures addressing the right to housing and pressure in the rental market. Approval is not certain. The Government is still seeking support from parliamentary groups.
The package is expected to cover seasonal rentals and tax incentives, alongside permanent protection for public housing. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has promised to advance the housing decree on Tuesday. It remains a government proposal under negotiation, not an enacted legal structure.
The eviction that sparked the latest mobilisation took place on 23 September. Reuters reported that Maricarmen Abascal, 87, had lived in the Madrid apartment for more than 70 years before a court decision led to her removal.
Madrid's response has been visible.
Hundreds of tents appeared in Puerta del Sol over the past two days. The demonstration called for access to decent housing. AP and AFP described roughly 100 tents, while Euronews reported about 150. The figures differ, but the camp is clearly there.
The action followed the eviction of Maricarmen, an 87-year-old woman who had lived in the home for decades. Her case is now basic to the Government's effort to advance the package.
Political pressure is also mounting inside the executive. Yolanda Díaz, the second deputy prime minister and labour minister, called on people to demonstrate against the Government she serves during the PCE festival in Madrid on Sunday. She urged supporters to mobilise more forcefully. The cabinet needs parliamentary backing for its housing plan.
The protests have spread beyond the capital: Euronews reported demonstrations in 40 Spanish cities. Protesters are demanding stronger tenant protection and action against rental fraud. They also want evictions banned when no alternative accommodation is available.
The political problem is clear. The Government wants to present a broad response as negotiations with parliamentary groups continue, while public protests demand faster action.
The ten-point proposal covers seasonal rentals and tax incentives, as well as permanent protection for public housing. It is also expected to include automatic extensions of rental contracts and further limits on evictions. None of the measures is approved until the Consejo de Ministros adopts the Real Decreto Ley.
That distinction matters.
The package could change rental rules and protections for public housing. For now, it is still being prepared. The tents in Puerta del Sol and Maricarmen's eviction have made delay harder. Díaz's intervention shows that pressure is also coming from within the Government.
Reuters, AP, Euronews and AFP have reported on the case. Their coverage shows how one eviction became a national housing protest. The demands focus on the cost and supply of rental homes. Protesters also want safeguards for older and vulnerable tenants, along with stronger protection against abusive practices. They are calling for alternative accommodation before an eviction.
Housing is now an urgent test for the executive. The Government must turn promises into decisions. Until the Real Decreto Ley is approved, the ten measures remain a plan under pressure. Residents cannot yet rely on them.
