Thousands of people filled central Madrid to honour Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction became a national symbol of Spain’s housing crisis, sparking protests and helping drive the government to call a snap election next month.
Ms Abascal died yesterday after being hospitalised with severe anxiety and exhaustion since she was forced from her home on 23 September. Her cause of death has not been disclosed.
- Advertisement -
Her eviction intensified anger over the shortage of affordable homes and rapidly rising rents. The unrest came as Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a snap general election for 29 November, following parliament’s rejection of government proposals intended to confront the deepening crisis.
At sunset in Madrid, thousands joined Tenants Union members wearing orange vests and walking arm-in-arm. Together, they carried a floral wreath from a protest camp in Puerta del Sol to Ms Abascal’s former home near Retiro Park.
Several people who had received eviction orders have died by suicide in Spain in recent months.
Ms Abascal’s death quickly became a flashpoint in the country’s political debate, with leaders on opposing sides blaming one another and invoking her case in attacks ahead of the election.
Left-wing parties condemned conservative lawmakers who had opposed legislation designed to slow the surge in rents.
Protesters gather to pay tribute to Maricarmen Abascal in front of her apartment
Right-wing parties countered that the leftist central government had failed to resolve the housing emergency after eight years in office.
Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, leader of the conservative opposition People’s Party (PP), accused Mr Sanchez and the Socialists of using the crisis to gain an advantage before voters go to the polls.
“We will not allow this attempt to manipulate the emotions of the Spanish people; all of this has happened during their eight years in government. It won’t fly,” Mr Feijoo said.
In the Madrid regional assembly, Manuela Bergerot, the opposition leader from the leftist Mas Madrid party, said Maricarmen — as she is now known throughout Spain — had died because of “miserable people who put gain above a person’s life.”
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
She said the last thing Madrid regional leader Isabel Diaz Ayuso did while Maricarmen was still alive was “laugh at her”, referring to Ayuso’s remark on 28 September: “At what age do I get to stop paying my landlords? Let me know.”
Ms Ayuso, in turn, blamed Mr Sanchez, arguing that Maricarmen had been evicted under his government.
The news of the octogenarian’s death provoked fury among protesters occupying squares in Spain’s major cities. Some chanted that she had been “murdered” by landlords driven by greed.
Ms Abascal had lived in the building for more than 70 years before an investment fund acquired it. She ultimately lost a prolonged legal battle over rent increases that far exceeded what she could afford on her pension, resulting in her eviction.
Although she reached an agreement in hospital to return to the property, she died before she could go home.
“When everything is private, we will be deprived of everything,” read a placard in Puerta del Sol, where mourners lit candles and placed flowers in her memory.
Outside the building, people left bouquets, candles, handwritten messages and drawings made by children.
“Maricarmen was the straw that broke the camel’s back.. (she was) a symbol of resistance and unity,” said Alex Marinero, a 21-year-old protester.
Maricarmen Abascal died after being evicted from her home last month
Tributes to Ms Abascal inside Madrid’s legislature also descended into confrontation, as politicians accused one another of exploiting her death for political purposes.
The PP, which holds absolute majorities in both the Madrid regional and local assemblies, refused to observe a minute of silence in her honour.
Instead, hard-left deputies held a tribute outside City Hall and gave Ms Abascal a 60-second standing ovation during a heated debate in the regional assembly. PP lawmakers stayed seated, their arms folded.
A June survey published by the state pollster CIS found that 76.3% of Spaniards supported intervention in the housing market to guarantee access to homes. The poll also showed that 79% believed the right to housing should outweigh the treatment of homes as market commodities.
Ombudsman Angel Gabilondo said tackling the housing crisis would demand stronger action from every level of government.
His office, he said, was preparing a report on housing and had renewed calls for measures including an expansion of public housing, limits on tourist rentals, increased rent assistance and stronger eviction safeguards for vulnerable households.
