Madrid pensioner whose eviction sparked Spain housing protests dies at 87
In short
Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old Madrid tenant whose eviction set off mass protests over housing costs across Spain, has died, Russian outlets reported, citing the Madrid tenants' union. She died in a Madrid hospital after being evicted in late September from a flat she had rented for about 70 years. The union said an agreement allowing her to return home came too late.
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Maricarmen Abascal, a Madrid pensioner whose eviction from her rented flat set off mass protests over housing across Spain, has died at the age of 87, Russian outlets reported. Meduza, citing Sky News and El Pais, said the death was announced in a statement by the Madrid tenants' union and that she died in a Madrid hospital. Kommersant said her representatives and the tenants' union reported the death. TASS attributed the report to El Mundo. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
"Although we managed to reach an agreement that would have allowed her to return home, this decision came too late," the tenants' union said in a statement quoted by Vedomosti. RIA Novosti reported that the investment company that owns the building made concessions and agreed to a new eight-year lease with rent of no more than 30 percent of her income. [ 1 , 5 ]
According to Meduza, Abascal rented the flat for about 70 years and for many years paid 500 euros a month. In 2018 the property passed to the company Urbagestion, which raised the rent to 2,650 euros a month and later lowered it to 1,650 euros, still more than her pension of 1,350 euros. Meduza said the company's attempts to evict her were blocked by courts for a time, but she was eventually carried out of the building on a stretcher. Vedomosti said the eviction took place in late September and that she was then taken to hospital. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Footage of the eviction caused a public outcry, Meduza reported, and protests against expensive housing spread to dozens of Spanish cities. Vedomosti said protesters set up a tent camp in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square, that Abascal herself spoke at protests and that one of the slogans was "Not one more Maricarmen." RIA Novosti reported that organisers are demanding a rent freeze, a return to open-ended leases, seizure of housing from investment funds buying it up, and a ban on evictions without alternative housing. [ 1 , 4 , 5 ]
Meduza reported that the Spanish government submitted two bills to protect tenants, which right-wing parties blocked, and that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez then dissolved parliament and called early elections. Vedomosti quoted Sanchez as saying the cabinet needed to renew and broaden public support to continue reforms and form a broader progressive majority in parliament. [ 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
According to the reports, her case became a symbol of the protests against high rents and the shortage of affordable housing, which spread to dozens of Spanish cities. Meduza and Vedomosti report that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez dissolved parliament and called early elections against this background, so the housing dispute is now part of a national election campaign.
Key facts
- Maricarmen (Maria del Carmen) Abascal died at the age of 87. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Her eviction from a flat in Madrid triggered mass protests across Spain over housing. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- She had rented the Madrid flat for about 70 years. [ 3 , 4 ]
- She was evicted in September and then moved to hospital; she died in a Madrid hospital. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The owner of the building agreed to a new eight-year lease with rent capped at 30 percent of her income. [ 1 ]
- The Madrid tenants' union announced her death and said the agreement allowing her to return home came too late. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez dissolved parliament and called early elections. [ 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Maricarmen Abascal died at 87. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Her eviction in Madrid triggered mass housing protests in Spain. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- She was evicted in September from a Madrid flat she had rented for about 70 years. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The Madrid tenants' union announced her death. [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- An agreement was reached that would let her return home. [ 1 , 4 , 5 ]
- Pedro Sanchez dissolved parliament and called early elections. [ 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- The cause of her death. None of the documents states a cause of death.
- Whether she returned to the flat before she died. RIA Novosti says she would return home in the coming days, while the tenants' union, quoted by Vedomosti, says the agreement came too late.
- The rent history and the role of Urbagestion. Only Meduza names the company and gives the rent and pension figures.
- The blocking of two tenant-protection bills by right-wing parties. Reported only by Meduza.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti and RBC report Abascal's death. [ 1 , 2 ]
- TASS reports the death, citing El Mundo. [ 3 ]
- Meduza reports the death, citing Sky News and El Pais and the Madrid tenants' union. [ 4 ]
- Vedomosti publishes the tenants' union statement that the agreement came too late. [ 5 ]
- Kommersant reports the death, citing her representatives and the tenants' union. [ 6 ]