The recent death of an 87-year-old woman, María del Carmen Abascal, after her eviction from a longstanding home has heightened the political unrest in Spain. Nationwide protests addressing soaring housing costs have pressured the government into calling an early election.
María del Carmen, affectionately called “Maricarmen,” died shortly after being admitted to the hospital following her eviction from her Madrid apartment. Her eviction, which occurred on September 23, attracted widespread attention, especially as Abascal, who required a wheelchair, was seen being carried out on a stretcher.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had called for a snap election on November 29, following the government’s inability to pass emergency housing measures through the Parliament. María’s death has intensified scrutiny on Sánchez’s Socialist Party as frustrations mount over increased rents and housing affordability.
Demonstrations erupted across Madrid and other cities in Spain, elevating María del Carmen Abascal to a symbolic figure in the housing crisis. Protests were further fueled by images of the eviction, in which police cordoned off streets and removed demonstrators attempting to impede the process.
The real estate company responsible aimed to lease María’s apartment at a higher rate but faced immense public pressure, eventually allowing for her return. Unfortunately, she passed away before moving back. Her cause of death has not been disclosed.
María’s death prompted gatherings outside Spain’s Parliament and in the capital’s Puerta del Sol square, where attendees observed a minute of silence. Protesters also chanted, “Maricarmen lives, the fight goes on!” echoing the continued dissatisfaction with current housing policies.
Prime Minister Sánchez expressed condolences in a statement on social media, sending love and sympathy to María’s family and pleading for unity in mourning.
Conservative opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo also shared sympathies, urging against exploiting María’s death for political maneuvering, stating that respect must be prioritized when facing such losses.
María’s eviction and subsequent passing have solidified as central issues for activists demanding reforms in Spain’s rental policies.