The death of an 87-year-old woman, whose removal from her Madrid residence over several weeks ago set off demonstrations across Spain, has deepened a national reckoning over affordability and pushed the government toward a political impasse.
Maria del Carmen Abascal, commonly called “Maricarmen,” passed away at a hospital on Wednesday, according to her attorney. The incident had drawn global attention after broadcast footage showed officers carrying her out on a stretcher from the apartment she had occupied for 70 years.
Advocacy groups argued the tragedy laid bare the human toll of rapidly climbing rental prices and forceful evictions throughout the country.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez posted online that she was “a symbol” of renters grappling with the affordability emergency, adding: “All my love to Maricarmen’s family and loved ones. … Rest in peace.”
Demonstrators assembled near government buildings chanting her name, while her legal representative Beatriz Duro described the eviction as “shameful violence” that demonstrated “the impact it can have on people’s health.” Housing organizations noted that although an arrangement eventually permitted her return, it arrived “too late” following what witnesses termed a “harrowing ordeal.”
Spain’s median rental cost has nearly doubled over the past ten years. The government reports that more than a quarter of tenants devote roughly 40 percent of their income to rent and utilities—more than twice the European Union average.
The forced displacement triggered nationwide unrest, a planned general strike scheduled for next month, and intensifying demands for policy action. After legislative efforts to pass emergency housing reforms failed, Sánchez announced an early election set for November 29, aiming to convert public frustration into electoral backing for his Socialist Party.
Opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo also expressed condolences but cautioned against politicizing the incident, calling for “respect” during a period of national mourning.
The election feels too soon. What guarantees come after the votes are counted?
Rent doubling in a decade? This isn’t a crisis, it’s a policy failure.
An entire community lost, yet the system remains unchanged. The tragedy is heartbreaking.