Maricarmen Abascal, face of Spain's anti-eviction protests, dies at 87
The 87-year-old died in a Madrid hospital two weeks after being carried out of her home of seven decades on a stretcher.
Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid flat sparked nationwide housing protests and triggered a snap general election, died on Wednesday in hospital.
Her death was confirmed by the Madrid Tenants Union (Sindicato de Inquilinas), two weeks after judicial officers and police removed her on a stretcher from her home on Calle Alcalde Sainz de Baranda. She had lived in the flat in the capital's Retiro district for seven decades.
"While a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, this solution arrived too late," the union said in a statement, describing the eviction procedure as "torturous" and entirely preventable.
Abascal had lived in the apartment since she was 17 under an old rent-controlled lease signed by her father in 1956. The building was acquired in 2018 by the property firm Urbagestión Desarrollo e Inversión SL, which sought significantly higher rent. Despite years of resistance and her reduced mobility, she was forced out on 23 September as hundreds of protesters gathered outside to block the entrance. She was taken directly by ambulance to Hospital Gregorio Marañón.
On 28 September, five days after the eviction, Abascal's lawyer, Beatriz Duro, reached a deal with Urbagestión to let her move back in once discharged. The agreement had been mediated by the Madrid municipal housing authority, the EMVS, following intense public pressure. She remained in hospital throughout, her health deteriorating, and never returned to the flat.
Political fallout and snap elections
Abascal's removal set off a fast-moving political crisis across Spain. Demonstrators occupied Madrid's Puerta del Sol square in an indefinite encampment, while solidarity rallies spread to other major cities.
The central government responded by drafting emergency housing measures, nicknamed the "Maricarmen decrees". When the Congress of Deputies voted down the package, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dissolved parliament and called a snap general election for 29 November.
Major trade unions, including CCOO and UGT, subsequently called a 24-hour general strike over the national housing crisis.
Before her death, Abascal sent messages from her hospital bed thanking those who demonstrated on her behalf. "I did not manage to defend my house, but I fought so that others learn to fight for theirs," she said at the time, urging supporters to keep organising against corporate landlords.
Tenants gathered at the Puerta del Sol encampment met the news of her death with silence and anger on Wednesday evening. The union pledged to continue its campaign, repeating words Abascal had shared from hospital: "Keep fighting for what is yours."
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Age at death | 87 | Sindicato de Inquilinas de Madrid |
| Date of eviction | 23 September 2026 | Court enforcement / official reports |
| Years lived in flat | 70 | Sindicato de Inquilinas de Madrid |
| Snap election date | 29 November 2026 | Government of Spain |
Questions readers are asking
Why was Maricarmen Abascal evicted?
She held an old rent-controlled lease dating back to 1956. After investment company Urbagestión acquired the property in 2018, it sought to raise the rent, leading to a long court dispute that ended in her eviction on 23 September.
How did the eviction affect Spanish politics?
Mass protests followed, leading the government to introduce emergency housing decrees. When parliament rejected them, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called a snap general election for 29 November.
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Maricarmen Abascal | Elderly tenant whose eviction triggered national protests and political crisis before her death in hospital. |
