Evicted pensioner Maricarmen Abascal, heart of Spain's housing protests, dies
Summary
Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid home sparked large housing protests in Spain, has died. Her eviction highlighted Spain's housing crisis and led to political pressure resulting in Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez calling an early election.Key Facts
- Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her lifelong home in Madrid on September 23, 2026.
- Her eviction was due to a large rent increase by the real estate company owning her apartment.
- The eviction caused nationwide protests against evictions and high rent prices.
- Protesters camped in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square as a symbol of the housing crisis.
- The protests pressured the government to propose new housing laws, including banning evictions and renewing tenant contracts automatically.
- The government’s proposed housing measures were rejected in parliament last week.
- Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a snap election for November 29, 2026, with housing as a key issue.
- Maricarmen was hospitalized after her eviction but briefly returned home after an agreement with the landlord; her death was announced by the Madrid Tenants' Union.
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