Maricarmen Abascal, The 87-Year-Old Whose Eviction Shook Spain, Has Died — Here's What Happens Next

Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid home set off nationwide protests and helped trigger a snap election, has died, according to BBC News.

Madrid's tenants' union announced her death on Wednesday. No cause of death has been given.

What Happened

Abascal was forcibly removed on a stretcher from the flat she had lived in for more than 70 years on 23 September, after she could no longer afford a rent increase, BBC News reports.

Her father first rented the property in 1956, and she stayed on as the tenant after her parents died. For years, a cap kept the rent low.

That changed after a company called Urbagestión bought the property in 2018. According to the BBC, it raised her rent from €500 a month to €2,650. It later offered to cut that to €1,650, which is still €300 more than her monthly pension.

The company also offered to let her return at the lower rate, but she was in hospital and unable to sign. Three earlier attempts to evict her had been blocked by the courts.

A Country Reacts

Abascal became a national symbol of Spain's housing crisis. Anger over her case fuelled protests and put pressure on the coalition government to pass emergency housing legislation. Congress rejected it last week, per the BBC.

Tens of thousands then marched in cities across Spain over the weekend. On Monday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called an early election for 29 November, Sky News also reports.

On Wednesday night, news of her death was met with a collective gasp in Madrid's Puerta del Sol, followed by a minute of silence, the BBC says. Thousands have been camping in the square since her eviction. People lit dozens of candles and built an altar outside the Community of Madrid government headquarters. A few hundred people then marched towards the Spanish Congress.

The tenants' union said her case marked "a turning point in the history of this country". It also said the solution that would have let her go home "has come too late".

Sánchez offered his love to her family and loved ones. Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said that in the face of a person's death, "only respect is in order."

What Happens Next

• The camp continues. One protester told the BBC the Puerta del Sol camp, now on its 12th night, will stay "as long as necessary".
• A general strike is planned. Unions called one for 11 November, demanding housing reforms.
• An election is coming. Spain votes on 29 November. Polls suggest the conservatives will be the largest party but would likely need the hard-right Vox party to govern, the BBC reports. Other issues, including corruption scandals linked to Sánchez's party, the cost of living and immigration, are also weighing on the government.

Her Own Words

In a video recorded from her hospital bed after the eviction, Abascal said she had not managed to defend her home, "but I have fought so that others can learn to fight for what's theirs."

Do you think her case will change how governments across Europe handle housing? Tell us what you think in the comments.

Sources:

• BBC News
• Sky News