Housing Rights Activists Occupy Madrid's Puerta del Sol

• Protesters continue a 48-hour occupation of Madrid’s Puerta del Sol to demand urgent action against the national housing crisis.
• The mobilization calls for the immediate approval of the 'Maricarmen Decree,' a package of five structural measures to curb speculation and protect tenants.
• The movement gained momentum following the recent high-profile eviction of a resident named Maricarmen in the Retiro district.

Legislative Demands

• The Tenants' Union is pushing for structural reforms to stop housing from being treated as a business asset:
  • Automatic conversion of all rental contracts to indefinite status.
  • Reform of the Urban Leasing Act (LAU) to regulate seasonal and room-by-room rentals.
  • A freeze on rent increases linked to the Consumer Price Index (IPC).
  • Effective extension mechanisms for current rental agreements.

Broader Social Impact

• Public school teachers joined the protest, highlighting how housing instability forces children to frequently change schools, negatively impacting their education and social stability.
• The protest received international support from activists visiting Madrid to counter 'The District' real estate fair, emphasizing the global nature of rentierism.
• Data from the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) confirms that Spain recorded over 4,000 evictions in the first quarter of 2024 alone, averaging 44.5 per day.