In Spain, a fragmented Spanish parliament is set to vote today on a pair of measures to ban evictions until 2030 while protecting the rights of tenants. The measures are expected to fail, since the party of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez does not hold a majority in the parliament. Sánchez issued the housing decrees in response to public uproar over the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal from her lifelong home in Madrid. Activists have set up a large protest encampment in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square; their protests have spread to Barcelona and other Spanish cities.

Merce: “It’s very important to protest, because the problem is very big. There are many people that can’t afford rent, many people, young people, old or middle-aged people. Housing is a very big problem. I don’t know why this movement didn’t start before.”