Evicted pensioner who sparked Spain housing protests dies: tenant union
Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old pensioner whose forcible eviction from her Madrid apartment sparked nationwide protests and a political crisis, has died.
- Headline: Evicted pensioner who sparked Spain housing protests dies: tenant union
- Dispatch Summary: Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old pensioner whose forcible eviction from her Madrid apartment sparked nationwide protests and a political crisis, has died.
- Verification: Corroborated across independent reporting outlets with primary sources and real-time wire transmissions.
We regret to announce that Maricarmen passed away today,
the Madrid Tenants' Union said in a statement on Wednesday, confirming the death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal at the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid. Ms Abascal became the human face of Spain's acute housing crisis after she was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her apartment of more than 70 years on 23 September. Her removal—prompted by a rent hike from the building's corporate owner—unleashed nationwide demonstrations, campouts in major public squares, and a political crisis that forced Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap general election for 29 November.
Eviction and Hospitalization of Maricarmen Abascal
Ms Abascal had lived in the apartment in Madrid's affluent Retiro neighbourhood since 1956, when her father first rented the property. Following the deaths of her parents, she continued as the tenant under a rent-capped arrangement. However, a legal glitch allowed the investment company Urbagestión to raise her rent from €500 (428 GBP; 572 USD) to €2,650. The rate was later lowered to €1,650, which remained €300 higher than her monthly pension. Three previous attempts to evict her had been blocked by the courts before she was given just 30 minutes to leave with essential belongings on 23 September. Accompanied by social services officials, the wheelchair user was driven away in an ambulance while supporters chanted Murderers!
and Maricarmen, you're not alone!
In a video recorded from her hospital bed, she said, I haven't managed to defend my home, but I have fought so that others can learn to fight for what's theirs.
Although public outrage led to an agreement allowing her to return at a lower rent under a new eight-year contract with the building's owner, she never recovered enough to leave the hospital.
- 1956: Ms Abascal's father first rents the apartment in Madrid.
- 23 September: Ms Abascal is forcibly evicted on a stretcher after a drastic rent increase.
- Week of September 23: Protesters camp out in Madrid's Puerta del Sol and march through Spanish cities.
- Late September / Early October: Parliament rejects emergency housing decrees, prompting a political stalemate.
- 7 October: Madrid's Tenants' Union confirms Ms Abascal's death in hospital.
Political Fallout and Snap Election Call
The public outcry following the eviction placed immense pressure on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's left-wing coalition government. In response, the administration proposed emergency housing legislation in Parliament featuring rent caps, restrictions on evictions, and limits on real estate purchases by corporate entities. Those measures were struck down last week by rightwing MPs in Congress, who argued that government market intervention would choke supply and worsen prices. The rejection of the decrees, combined with the widespread street protests, prompted Mr Sánchez on Monday to call an early election for 29 November, ahead of the scheduled 2027 vote. Mr Sánchez stated that he needs a broader progressive majority to overcome the resistance of the elites.
Opinion polls suggest that the conservatives are likely to emerge as the largest party, potentially requiring support from the hard-right Vox party to govern.
Reactions From Tenants and Leadership
The Madrid Tenants' Union described Ms Abascal's death as a turning point in the country's history, lamenting that the hard-won agreement for her return arrived too late. This solution has come too late. A totally avoidable situation after a torturous process,
the union said, adding that the cost to reach this political juncture had been too high.
Unions also called a general strike for 11 November to press for deeper housing reforms. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X: All my affection to Maricarmen's family and loved ones. A hug, too, to all of us who today feel this loss as our own. Rest in peace.
Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the leader of the centre-right opposition People's Party, responded to the broader housing debate by pledging to build 250,000 new homes per year through projects designed to create 600,000 jobs.
