An 87-year-old woman, Maricarmen Abascal, whose eviction ignited nationwide protests over Spain's housing crisis, has died, according to the Madrid Tenants' Union. Abascal was forcibly removed from her apartment in Madrid on September 23 after struggling to keep up with rising rent costs.
Background
Abascal had lived in her flat for over 70 years, a property first rented by her father in 1956. After her parents passed away, she continued to live there under a rent cap. However, the property was purchased by Urbagestión in 2018, which raised her rent from €500 per month to €2,650. Although the company later offered to reduce the rent to €1,650, this amount still exceeded her monthly pension by €300.
Eviction and Protests
Despite three previous attempts to evict her being blocked by the courts, Abascal's situation gained significant media attention, leading to widespread protests. Following her eviction, anger surged, prompting tens of thousands to take to the streets across Spain. The protests intensified after the coalition government rejected emergency housing legislation last week.
