Maricarmen Abascal, symbol of Spain's housing crisis, dies at 87
The Madrid pensioner whose forced eviction triggered nationwide protests and a snap election has died in hospital, her tenants' union said.
Maricarmen Abascal, 87, whose eviction became a rallying point in Spain's housing crisis, died in hospital on Wednesday, the Madrid Tenants' Union said. "We regret to announce that Maricarmen passed away today," the union said, calling her case "a turning point in the history of this country."
Bailiffs removed Abascal from the Retiro district apartment where she had spent more than 70 years on 23 September, enforcing a court eviction order after she fell behind on a steep rent increase. Her landlord, Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión SL, had sought to lift the rent from around €440 to €1,650 a month; her pension was €1,350. Judges had blocked three earlier attempts to remove her.
Once the eviction drew public anger, the company agreed to let her move back under a fresh contract at a reduced rent, but Abascal never got the chance to sign it. She had by then been admitted to Madrid's Gregorio Marañón hospital. The tenants' union said the deal that would have returned her home "came too late."
Her case set off demonstrations across Spain and sit-ins on public squares, among them Madrid's Puerta del Sol, where a minute's silence was held on Wednesday once her death became known. Tens of thousands took to the streets in cities including Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Cádiz and Málaga, calling for stronger tenant protections.
The political fallout led Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government to propose two emergency housing decrees, including a suspension of evictions of vulnerable tenants until 2030 and a two-year extension of expiring leases. Lawmakers rejected the first decree by 178 votes to 172 and the second by 184 to 166. Sánchez then called a snap general election for 29 November, saying it was time for Spaniards to decide the country's future.
Spain's housing shortage runs to roughly 700,000 homes, by the Bank of Spain's calculation, and average rents climbed 8.5% in 2025, property firm Idealista found, with the increase reaching 9.7% in Madrid alone.
What we know
- Maricarmen Abascal, 87, died in hospital on Wednesday, the Madrid Tenants' Union said.
- She was evicted from her Retiro district flat on 23 September after living there more than 70 years, unable to afford a rent rise to €1,650 a month on a €1,350 pension.
- Her landlord had agreed to let her return at a lower rent, but she did not live to sign the new contract.
- Her case triggered nationwide protests and square occupations, including in Madrid's Puerta del Sol.
- Parliament rejected the government's emergency housing decrees, prompting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap election for 29 November.
Why it matters for Europe
Abascal's eviction became the public face of a housing affordability crisis linked by the Bank of Spain to a shortfall of roughly 700,000 homes nationwide. Her death, after parliament rejected emergency tenant protections, has intensified a political crisis that has already triggered a snap general election.
Sources
Reported by 9 reports from 9 independent outlets in 4 countries.
- Daily Mail: Disabled 87-year-old whose eviction sparked mass riots in Spain has died
- Libertatea: Maricarmen a murit. Femeia de 87 de ani, evacuată cu forța din locuința sa din Madrid, a devenit simbolul protestelor din Spania
- Antena 3 CNN: A murit femeia a cărei evacuare a declanșat proteste în Spania. Avea 87 de ani
- Știrile ProTV: A murit Maricarmen, femeia de 87 de ani a cărei evacuare a provocat un val de proteste și o criză politică în Spania
- Digi24: Maricarmen, femeia de 87 de ani a cărei evacuare din locuință a dus la proteste și alegeri anticipate în Spania, a murit
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Questions and answers
- Who was Maricarmen Abascal?
- An 87-year-old Madrid pensioner whose forced eviction from her home of more than 70 years became a symbol of Spain's housing crisis.
- Why did her eviction cause a political crisis?
- It triggered nationwide protests; parliament then rejected the government's emergency housing decrees, leading Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap election for 29 November.
- What happened just before her death?
- Her landlord had agreed to let her return to her flat at a lower rent, but she was hospitalised and did not live to sign the new contract.
This article was written with AI assistance from 9 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.