Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked nationwide protests dies
Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old Spanish woman forcibly evicted from her Madrid apartment, has died after sparking widespread housing protests.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Maricarmen Abascal, 87, died following her forced eviction from a Madrid flat on 23 Sept.
- Her case became a powerful symbol of Spain's severe housing crisis and sparked national protests.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap election for 29 November following political fallout.
- Unions have announced a general strike for 11 November demanding major housing reforms.
An 87-year-old Spanish woman whose violent eviction ignited nationwide protests over Spain's housing crisis has passed away, according to Madrid's tenants union. Maricarmen Abascal was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her apartment of more than seven decades on September 23 after failing to keep up with surging rent increases.
Her family had originally rented the property back in 1956 under rent-control regulations. However, after Urbagestión purchased the building in 2018, the company hiked the monthly rent from €500 to €2,650, an amount far exceeding her monthly pension. Although the firm later offered a reduced rate of €1,650, it remained unaffordable for her, while courts had previously blocked three attempts to evict her.
Abascal's death added fuel to an already volatile political climate following the collapse of emergency housing legislation in Congress last week. This legislative failure increased pressure on the leftist coalition government, prompting tens of thousands of citizens to take to the streets across various Spanish cities over the weekend.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Demonstrators gathered at Puerta del Sol, one of Madrid's main squares which has served as a protest encampment for two weeks, lighting candles and embracing in her memory. Hundreds also marched toward the parliament building chanting slogans honoring her memory and the ongoing movement.
"The struggle continues, Maricarmen lives"
Protesters marching in Madrid
The intense public outcry triggered immediate political turmoil. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, heading a leftist coalition lacking a parliamentary majority, called a snap general election for November 29 after failing to pass the emergency housing bill, compounding existing pressures from cost-of-living issues and corruption scandals.
Spain's housing crisis reflects a deep structural conflict between skyrocketing rental costs and stagnant wages. While left-leaning factions push for state intervention to protect vulnerable tenants, conservative opponents argue that price caps reduce rental housing supply. Abascal's tragic case crystallized these economic frustrations, transforming a local tenant dispute into a major catalyst for national political instability.
Meanwhile, trade unions have scheduled a general strike for November 11 to demand comprehensive housing reforms, while recent opinion polls suggest conservative parties are positioned to win the upcoming election, likely requiring backing from the far-right Vox party to form a government.
Source: BBC World
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