An 87-year-old Spanish woman whose eviction became a national symbol of the country’s housing crisis has died, weeks after she was forcibly removed from the Madrid apartment where she had lived for more than seven decades.
Maricarmen Abascal was carried out of her home on a stretcher on September 23 after she was unable to afford a sharp increase in rent. Her eviction triggered widespread protests and intensified political pressure on the government to address rising housing costs.
Abascal was in fragile health at the time and was subsequently admitted to Madrid’s Gregorio Marañón Hospital. From her hospital bed, she sent messages of support to protesters campaigning for more affordable housing.
The Madrid Tenants’ Union announced her death, describing her case as a turning point in Spain’s housing crisis. Union spokeswoman Alicia del Río accused landlords and property speculators of contributing to Abascal’s death.
“Speculation costs lives, and today rent profiteering has finished killing our colleague Maricarmen,” del Río said, adding that her memory would strengthen the housing movement.
Abascal’s father first rented the family’s apartment in Madrid’s Retiro district in 1956. She remained there after her parents died under a rent-control arrangement that had kept the monthly payment relatively low for decades.
However, the area became increasingly desirable, and Urbagestión, which acquired the property in 2018, raised Abascal’s rent from €500 to €2,650 per month.
The company later offered to reduce the rent to €1,650, but the amount was still €300 higher than Abascal’s monthly pension. She was unable to sign the proposed agreement because she had already been admitted to hospital.
Three previous attempts to evict her had been blocked by the courts, while her case attracted widespread support from members of the public and celebrities.
Death Sparks Fresh Protests
News of Abascal’s death sparked an emotional response at Puerta del Sol, the Madrid square where protesters had gathered since her eviction to demand affordable housing.
A crowd fell silent when the announcement was made, with demonstrators observing a minute of silence and lighting dozens of candles in her memory. Messages placed at the square described her death as a consequence of the housing crisis and vowed to continue the campaign.
Later, several hundred protesters marched from Puerta del Sol towards Spain’s parliament, chanting slogans including “we will not tolerate a single eviction more” and “the fight will continue, Maricarmen is still alive.”
Some protesters also criticised the police, accusing officers of being complicit in evictions carried out under court orders.
Housing Crisis Triggers Political Fallout
The controversy surrounding Abascal’s eviction has become intertwined with Spain’s political crisis.
Rental costs in Madrid have risen by more than 100 per cent over the past decade, according to property website Idealista, intensifying concerns about affordability and access to housing.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s minority government proposed two emergency measures aimed at addressing the crisis, but both were rejected by Congress last week.
Sánchez subsequently called a snap election for November 29, arguing that he needed a broader progressive majority to overcome opposition to his proposed reforms.
Tens of thousands of people have taken part in housing protests across Spain, while unions have called a general strike for November 11 to demand stronger housing policies.
Sánchez expressed condolences to Abascal’s family, saying many people across the country shared the pain of her loss.
Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo also offered his condolences but warned against using her death for political purposes, urging politicians to show respect for the deceased and her family.
The housing debate has exposed deep divisions between Spain’s political parties. The conservative opposition has argued that government intervention in the rental market could discourage landlords from offering properties and ultimately drive prices higher.
Sánchez, however, has insisted that stronger measures are needed to address what he describes as resistance from powerful interests.
The housing crisis is not the only challenge facing his government, with corruption allegations involving members of his party, rising living costs and immigration also contributing to political pressure.
Opinion polls currently indicate that the conservative People’s Party could emerge as the largest party in the November election, although it would likely require support from the hard-right Vox party to form a government.
