In a post on X, Ayuso described the central government as the “ultra-left” that has “never cared about evictions,” claiming it has done nothing in eight years. She alleged that the executive used Maricarmen’s case as a “decoy” to divert focus from Ceuta, which she said remains “invaded and isolated” despite government efforts. The Madrid president criticized media, politicians, and social platforms for following this “decoy,” concluding with a statement that the government acts against Spaniards using public funds.
The comments follow the eviction of Abascal on Wednesday, September 23, from a home in Madrid’s Retiro district where she had lived for 71 years. The 87-year-old woman was removed on a stretcher after police executed the order on their fourth attempt, following years of legal disputes with the property owner, investment firm Urbagestión. Abascal has been treated at Gregorio Marañón Hospital for exhaustion and stress. The incident triggered a spontaneous demonstration in Madrid that drew approximately 10,000 people, according to the central government, with crowds gathering outside a building in the area later linked to the regional government.
The protest quickly expanded across Spain, with simultaneous rallies held in cities including Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, and Oviedo under the hashtag #Niundesahuciomás (Not One More Eviction). The controversy has also drawn international attention; Prime Minister Sánchez addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, describing the eviction as “a social tragedy that we cannot accept as a country” and attributing fault to the PP-led regional administration. Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez García stated in the Congress of Deputies that the case evidences the consequences of “savage speculation.”
Political tensions have been heightened by the presence of a luxury penthouse purchased by the Madrid regional government, which became a focal point for protesters chanting “Ayuso’s penthouse for Maricarmen!” The 6.3 million euro property, acquired by the public company Planifica Madrid, has been subject to shifting official explanations. While Ayuso initially denied the purchase was for her personal use, claiming it was for institutional meetings during renovations, documentation released later described it as an “institutional property of a residential nature” intended for the occasional accommodation of authorities. The government has since announced the penthouse is for sale, though a recent auction yielded no buyers, and a new auction is planned with a starting price of 6.7 million euros.
Ayuso has rejected responsibility for the penthouse purchase, attributing the decision to her “team” and describing the property as part of the community’s broader heritage management. She further criticized the central government’s housing policies, arguing that legislation introduced over the past eight years has failed to build the 184,000 homes promised and has instead caused prices to soar. Ayuso noted that while the Madrid region sees an average of three evictions per day, the highest numbers occur in other regions governed by the central government’s coalition partners, including Catalonia and Andalusia.
The legal dispute stems from a 1956 rent-capped lease signed by Abascal’s father. Although Abascal won her initial court case, an appeals judge overturned the ruling, and the Supreme Court ultimately sided with the owners. The company had raised the rent from 500 euros to 2,650 euros, later lowering it to 1,650 euros, a sum exceeding Abascal’s monthly pension of 1,350 euros. Despite offers from anonymous donors to cover the rent and a rejected attempt by the housing ministry to purchase the apartment, the eviction proceeded.
Political Context and Reactions
The case has intensified the existing political confrontation between the PP-led regional government in Madrid and the central government. Ayuso accused Sánchez of inciting “riots” and creating a “stifling atmosphere of tension” that harms businesses and prosperity. Conversely, central government officials have emphasized the social crisis of housing affordability in Madrid, where thousands of residents face similar pressures in an increasingly unaffordable market. The contrasting narratives highlight a deep divide over the role of the state in housing regulation and the protection of long-term tenants.
