Pedro Sánchez loses housing crisis vote after 87-year-old woman's eviction

Spain’s socialist government suffered a double defeat in Congress on Tuesday, rejecting two decree‑laws meant to calm a housing crisis that erupted after 87‑year‑old Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid flat. The votes – 178‑172 on the first decree and 184‑166 on the second – left Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez without a clear path to pass emergency rent‑relief measures and raised fresh pressure for a snap election.

The defeats came amid weeks of street protests sparked by Abascal’s eviction, which highlighted soaring rents and aggressive rent‑increase clauses used by landlords. Tenants’ groups say the case reflects a nationwide surge in unaffordable housing, especially in cities where tourist‑short‑term rentals have driven prices up. The public outcry forced the government to draft hurried legislation aimed at protecting vulnerable renters and curbing what it calls “vulture fund” purchases of residential property.

Both decrees contained a bundle of reforms. The first would have halted evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030, extended leases due to expire before 2028 by two years, raised taxes on tourist apartments and limited purchases of homes by investment funds. The second sought to tighten controls on rent hikes and improve tenant rights. Lawmakers rejected the proposals despite hundreds of demonstrators chanting “shame on you” and “your profits, our misery” outside the parliament as the votes were counted. The Tenants’ Union announced it would shift its tent protest from central Madrid to neighbourhoods across the city, urging a broader, permanent movement and calling for a general strike.

Now Sánchez faces a weekend of decision‑making. With no parliamentary majority and a government already tangled in scandals, analysts say a snap election before the scheduled vote next summer is increasingly likely. The outcome will test whether the ruling Socialists can regain control or be forced to cede power to opposition forces promising tougher housing reforms. The next steps will shape Spain’s housing policy and its political landscape for months to come.