The death of the Spanish woman, whose decision to evacuate her from her home sparked protests across the country
Author, Alice Davies
Published 5 minutes ago
Reading time: 4 minutes
An elderly woman has died. Her eviction from her home sparked protests across Spain over the housing crisis and a political debate that led to calls for early elections, according to the Madrid Tenants Union.
Maricarmen Abascal, 87 years old, was forcibly removed on a stretcher from the apartment where she had lived for more than 70 years, on September 23, after she was unable to afford the rent increases.
The company that owned the apartment later offered to let her return for a lower rent, but she was unable to sign the agreement after she was taken to the hospital.
The Madrid Tenants Union said in a statement: “We announce with regret that Maricarmen passed away today,” adding that her case represented “a turning point in the history of this country.”
Syndicate spokeswoman Alicia del Rio said: “Speculation takes lives, and today the rentier system has ended up killing our colleague Maricarmen,” but she added that “her memory will remain alive among us.”
Abascal became a symbol of the housing crisis in Spain after she was evicted from her home.
Her father had rented the property for the first time in 1956, and she continued to rent it after the death of her parents, and during that period the rent was subject to a ceiling.
But Orbagstion, which bought the property in 2018, raised the rent from 500 euros per month to 2,650 euros.
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The company later offered to reduce it to 1,650 euros, an amount that is still about 300 euros more than Abascal's monthly pension.
The courts had blocked three previous attempts to evict her, while the case received increasing media attention.
Anger over her situation escalated, leading to protests and pressure on the coalition government to pass emergency housing legislation, but Congress rejected it last week.
This led to more protests, as tens of thousands took to the streets of cities across the country over the weekend.
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Referring to the rejected bills, the Madrid Tenants Union said: “While a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, this solution came too late. This situation could have been completely avoided after a course of suffering.”
The union said that the events surrounding its eviction represented a turning point in the country's history, but added that the price for reaching this stage was "extremely high."
She added: “Above all, we will do what she has always asked of us: fight, and keep fighting for what is yours.”
In a video recorded from her hospital bed after her evacuation, Maricarmen said: “I could not defend my home, but I fought so that others could learn how to fight for what is theirs.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: “All my love to Maricarmen’s family and loved ones,” adding: “I also send a hug to everyone who feels today that this loss is theirs.”
The leader of the opposition People's Party, Alberto Núñez Viejo, also offered his condolences to her loved ones, and said on the X platform: "No campaigns, no parties, no exploitation by special interests. No more stones in the wall of division."
He added: "In the face of the death of a human being, all that is appropriate is respect."
Demonstrators gathered in Puerta del Sol, one of Madrid's main squares, after Abascal's death was announced. Over the past two weeks, the square has turned into a protest camp.
Pictures showed demonstrators in the square hugging each other and lighting candles in memory of Abascal on Wednesday evening.
According to Agence France-Presse, hundreds marched towards Parliament chanting: “The struggle continues, Maricarmen is alive.”
“Despite her death, a struggle has begun that will not stop,” said 25-year-old demonstrator Nora Boomguit. “It doesn’t matter who rules, because they will not stop us.”
Earlier on Wednesday, unions called for a general strike on November 11 to demand reforms in the housing sector.
Public anger over the Abascal case led to political unrest in Spain.
Sanchez, who leads a leftist coalition that does not have a majority in Parliament, announced on Monday that early elections would be held on November 29, after failing to pass emergency housing legislation in Congress.
