A wave of new housing regulations adopted by the Spanish cabinet on Tuesday limits how investment firms acquire residential real estate and extends renter protections. The government will prohibit investment funds from purchasing property until 2028 and has proposed a ban on forced evictions that lasts through 2030. Additional measures introduce automatic renewals for tenant contracts and new regulations for the rental of individual rooms and seasonal housing; the Council of Ministers seeks an extraordinary plenary session on Friday to validate the decrees.

The legislation follows nationwide protests in Madrid and Barcelona sparked by the eviction of Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old pensioner. Abascal was carried from her home of 70 years on a stretcher after a developer attempted to raise her rent by 275%, demanding monthly payments as high as €2,650 against her €1,350 disability pension. While Abascal has since reached a deal to return home, opposition parties argue the new government restrictions will stifle supply by discouraging private landlords from renting their properties.