MADRID — Maricarmen Abascal, the elderly Spanish woman whose forced eviction from her Madrid apartment galvanized national demonstrations against soaring housing costs, has passed away. Her death was confirmed on Wednesday by the Madrid Tenants' Union.
Ms. Abascal, 87, was removed from the home she had lived in for more than seven decades on September 23. Law enforcement officials carried her out on a stretcher following a prolonged legal battle over dramatic rent increases. Her father originally leased the property in 1956, and she maintained the tenancy after her parents passed away under previous rent control protections.
The property was acquired in 2018 by Urbagestión, a firm that subsequently sought to raise the monthly rent from €500 to €2,650. While the landlord later proposed a reduced rate of €1,650, the figure still exceeded Ms. Abascal's monthly pension by €300. Courts had previously halted three separate attempts to clear the apartment before the eviction was ultimately carried out.
Following the incident, the property owner indicated a willingness to permit her return at a lower cost, but she was hospitalized before any agreement could be finalized. The tenants' union expressed deep sorrow over her passing, characterizing the outcome as an avoidable tragedy resulting from aggressive property speculation. Union representatives stated that her ordeal marked a historic turning point for the nation, though they lamented that relief arrived too late.
The eviction intensified public anger regarding Spain's housing affordability crisis, prompting widespread demonstrations and increasing pressure on lawmakers. Although legislative efforts were pursued to address the issue, emergency housing measures were defeated in Congress last week. The failure of those legislative proposals triggered fresh political upheaval, culminating in Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announcing a snap general election set for November 29. Furthermore, labor groups have scheduled a general strike for November 11 to demand substantial housing reforms.
Politicians from across the political spectrum expressed their condolences following the news. Prime Minister Sánchez conveyed his sympathy to her family and supporters, while opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called for respectful remembrance and urged restraint from partisan exploitation of the tragedy.
In the wake of the announcement, crowds gathered at Madrid's Puerta del Sol square, where a protest encampment had been established over the preceding two weeks. Mourners lit candles, embraced one another, and marched toward the parliament building while chanting slogans honoring her memory. Demonstrators vowed that the grassroots movement sparked by her case would persist regardless of political changes, as labor unions and activists continue to press for systemic housing policy changes across the country.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
