María del Carmen Abascal, symbol of Spain’s housing protests, dies aged 87
Summary
María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid home sparked large protests against Spain’s housing crisis, has died. Her eviction exposed the rising cost of housing in Spain and led to mass demonstrations and political changes, including a snap election called by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.Key Facts
- María del Carmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid apartment after an investment company raised her rent by 230%.
- She had lived in the same home for over 70 years before being forced out.
- Police used teargas during her eviction, which was captured in widely shared images showing her being removed on a stretcher.
- About 10,000 people protested in Madrid soon after, with similar protests occurring across Spain due to rising rents and house prices.
- Abascal was hospitalized with exhaustion and encouraged protestors to keep fighting from her hospital bed.
- The eviction and protests led Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap general election after emergency housing laws were rejected by right-wing parties.
- Abascal died in hospital shortly before she was about to sign a new lease with the investment company.
- Spanish political leaders from different parties expressed condolences and highlighted the impact of her situation on raising national awareness about housing problems.
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