Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked nationwide protests dies, union says

An elderly woman whose eviction sparked nationwide protests over Spain's housing crisis and a political row that triggered early elections has died, according to Madrid's tenants union.

Maricarmen Abascal, 87, was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her apartment of more than 70 years on 23 September after she was unable to afford rent increases.

The company that owned the flat later offered to allow her to return at a lower rate - but she was unable to sign an agreement as she had been admitted to hospital.

"We regret to announce that Maricarmen passed away today," the Madrid Tenants' Union said in a statement, adding her situation marked "a turning point in the history of this country".

Union spokesperson Alicia del Río said: "Speculation costs lives, and today rentierism has finished killing our colleague Maricarmen" but "her memory lives on with us".

A cause of death was not announced.

Abascal's death was received in Puerta del Sol with a big collective gasp, then followed by a minute of silence.

It is in this square in the centre of Madrid where thousands have been camping since Abascal's eviction last month to demand more affordable housing.

On Wednesday, it became the place to pay tribute to her.

People lit dozens of candles around the square in a small improvised vigil that glowed with a warm light on a dry and warm autumn night.

Other candles formed an altar to Abascal in front of the headquarters of the Community of Madrid government.

Messages on cardboard banners next to the candles read "it's not a death, it's a killing", "the fight will continue" and "Mari Carmen, the grandmother of the whole country", among others.

A few hundred people then took to the streets that connect Puerta del Sol with the Spanish Congress, just 500m away, in an improvised protest.

During the march people chanted: "We will not tolerate a single eviction more" and "the fight will continue, Mari Carmen is still alive". There were other chants against fascism and against the police.

The police had set up barriers to block the march. There was not a big police presence, and there was the tension that protests sometimes have.

Many protesters seemed to feel the police have been complicit in the evictions, as under court orders they have to remove tenants who have been served eviction notices.

After a couple of hours, the chants near Congress gave way to another minute of silence. Then, a big collective shout of "murderers".

Wednesday night's march has finished, but the camping, already on its 12th night, will continue "as long as necessary" one of the protesters told the BBC.

Abascal became a symbol for Spain's housing crisis following her eviction.

Her father first rented the property in 1956 and she continued as the tenant after her parents died, during which time there was a cap on the rent.

However, Urbagestión, which bought the property in 2018, increased the rent from €500 per month (£428; $572) to €2,650 (£2,280; $3,020).

The company later offered to reduce this to €1,650 - still €300 more than Abascal's monthly pension.

Three previous attempts to evict her were blocked by the courts and the case has received increasing media attention.

Anger over the situation grew, leading to protests and putting pressure on the coalition government to approve emergency housing legislation - but it was rejected in Congress last week.

That led to further protests, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets in cities across the country over the weekend.

Referring to the rejected bills, the Madrid Tenants' Union said: "While a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, this solution has come too late. An absolutely avoidable situation after a torturing process."

It said the events surrounding her eviction represented a turning point in the country's history, but added that the cost to get to this point had been "too high".

"Above all, we will fulfil what she always asked of us: 'fight, keep fighting for what is yours'," it said.

In a video recorded from her hospital bed following her eviction, Maricarmen said: "I haven't managed to defend my home, but I have fought so that others can learn to fight for what's theirs."

"All my love goes to Maricarmen's family and loved ones," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said. "A hug as well to everyone who today feels this loss as their own."

Opposition People's Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo also sent his condolences to Maricarmen's loved ones, as he said on X: "No campaign, no parties, no self-interested exploitation. No more stones in the wall.

"In the face of a person's death, only respect is in order," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, unions had called a general strike to take place on 11 November, demanding housing reforms.

The public outcry over Abascal's situation has led to political turmoil in Spain.

On Monday Sánchez, who leads a leftist coalition that does not hold a majority in parliament, called an early election for 29 November. It followed his failure to get the emergency housing legislation through Congress.

The political right had argued that the government's attempt to intervene in the housing market would have led to fewer homes being rented and would have raised prices further.

Speaking on Monday, Sánchez said he needed "a broader progressive majority" that can "overcome the resistance of the elites" to push through reforms.

Other issues not relating to housing, such as numerous corruption scandals linked to his party, and pressures relating to the cost of living and immigration, have also caused him problems.

Most opinion polls suggest the conservatives are likely to emerge as the largest party in the next election. However, they would be expected to need the support of the hard-right Vox party to form a government.

Additional reporting by Tom McArthur