Death of Madrid’s Housing Fighter Triggers Nationwide Outcry
The 87‑year‑old former Retiro district resident Maricarmen Abascal died in Madrid hospital after a forceful eviction that had sparked a nationwide housing debate.
Her flat, occupied for more than seventy years, fell to the new owner Urbagestión in 2018, and its rent escalated from €500 to €2,650 a month. The steep increase left her well above the €300 pension she received, forcing her to lose her home.
For weeks, hundreds of Madrilenians camped in Puerta del Sol and other city squares, chanting “no más desalojos” and “Maricarmen vive.” Police eventually escorted them out following court orders.
The tragedy intensified political pressure on Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez, who introduced two emergency housing decrees that Congress rejected. The backlash led him to call a snap election for 29 November.
Families, unions, and celebrities kept Abascal’s memory alive, lighting candles, pinning written tributes and demanding protection for the vulnerable. Protesters shouted “murderers” as they gathered in the capital’s square.
Abascal’s death now serves as a rallying point for housing advocates, underscoring the moral weight of rent‑driven evictions that claim human lives and demanding comprehensive reform.
