Death of evicted Madrid pensioner deepens Spain's housing crisis protests

The Big Picture

The death of María del Carmen "Maricarmen" Abascal, 87, has intensified nationwide anger over Spain's housing crisis, turning a long-running rent dispute into a defining issue ahead of the country's November 29 general election.

Abascal was forcibly evicted from her Madrid apartment on a stretcher on September 23 after living there for more than 70 years. Her case prompted protest camps, demonstrations across Spain and emergency housing proposals that failed in Congress, contributing to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's decision to call an early election.

The Madrid Tenants' Union announced Abascal's death this week. No cause of death has been announced. She had been hospitalised after the eviction, and the union said an agreement that could have allowed her to return home came too late.

What Happened

Abascal's father first rented the Madrid property in 1956, according to BBC News. She remained there after her parents died. The BBC reported that Urbagestión, which bought the property in 2018, raised the monthly rent from €500 to €2,650, before later offering a reduced rent of €1,650. That was still €300 above Abascal's monthly pension, the broadcaster reported.

Three earlier efforts to remove Abascal were blocked by courts before the September eviction. Images of her being carried out on a stretcher quickly became a rallying point for housing activists. The Guardian reported that the investment firm had sought a 230% rent increase.

The property owner later offered to let Abascal return at a lower rent. Accounts differ on the final agreement: the BBC reported that she could not sign because she had been admitted to hospital, while the Guardian reported that she died hours before she was due to sign a new lease. Both reported that she died before returning home.

After news of her death, mourners observed moments of silence and left candles, flowers and messages in Madrid. Protesters marched from the Puerta del Sol encampment, where demonstrators have gathered since the eviction, toward Congress and Abascal's former home. The Guardian estimated that about 20,000 people joined a Thursday evening march in central Madrid.

Why It Matters

Abascal's case has concentrated public attention on rapidly rising housing costs and evictions. The Guardian has reported that rents in Spain rose 80% over the past decade, while house prices increased 63%.

A June survey by the state pollster CIS, reported by Al Jazeera, found that 76.3% of respondents supported market intervention to guarantee access to housing. The survey found 79% believed the right to housing should take precedence over treating homes as a market commodity.

The demonstrations have also made housing a central election issue. Sánchez, whose leftist coalition lacks a parliamentary majority, called the November 29 election after Congress rejected emergency housing legislation last week.

What Each Side Is Saying

Sánchez offered condolences to Abascal's family and said: "A hug as well to everyone who today feels this loss as their own." He has argued that a broader progressive majority is needed to pass housing reforms.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative People's Party, also offered condolences, saying that after a person's death there should be respect rather than campaigning or partisan exploitation. He has accused Sánchez's government of failing to address the housing crisis during its eight years in power.

The People's Party, the far-right Vox party and the Catalan pro-independence Junts party voted against the earlier emergency measures, according to the Guardian. Critics of the government's approach have argued that more intervention in the rental market could reduce the supply of homes available to rent and push up prices.

What Happens Next

Sánchez's cabinet has approved two replacement housing decrees containing 21 measures, according to the Guardian. They include stronger eviction protections for vulnerable residents, restrictions on speculative real-estate purchases, regulation of room rentals and a tax on seasonal rentals.

With parliament dissolved for the election, the measures are expected to go before Congress's permanent council. Meanwhile, unions have called a general strike for November 11 to demand housing reforms. For protesters gathered in Madrid, Abascal's death has added urgency to a campaign that now extends far beyond a single eviction.