Full Breakdown
Maricarmen Abascal’s Eviction, Death, and the Political Fallout in Spain
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Eviction, Hospitalisation, and Death
On September 23, 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal—known as “Maricarmen”—was forcibly removed from her Madrid apartment after 70 years. Police broke down the door and she was taken on a stretcher to a hospital, where she remained for weeks. The Madrid Tenants’ Union announced on October 7 that she died at Gregorio Marañón Hospital, adding that a historic agreement that would have let her return “came too late.”
Background & Context: Spain’s Chronic Housing Crisis
Spain’s rental market has seen rents nearly double in the past decade, with the average rent per square metre rising from €8.20 in 2016 to €15.10 in 2026. Government data indicate that 26 % of renters spend about 40 % of their income on rent and utilities, far above the EU average of 18 %. Publicly owned rental housing accounts for under 2 % of total housing.
Timeline of Key Developments
- September 23 – Eviction of Maricarmen from her Retiro-district home.
- September 26 – Protesters establish a camp in Puerta del Sol.
- September 28 – Demonstrators march to the Congress of Deputies.
- September 30 – Agreement reached allowing Maricarmen to return under an eight-year lease.
- September 29 – Government approves two emergency housing decrees.
- October 2 – Congress rejects both decrees.
- October 3 – Additional protests march through Madrid.
- October 7 – Maricarmen’s death is announced.
- November 11 (scheduled) – CCOO and UGT back a nationwide general strike on housing.
- November 29 (scheduled) – Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calls a snap election.
Data & Statistics
- Original rent: €500 per month; proposed increase to €2,650 (later reduced to €1,650).
- Maricarmen’s pension: roughly €1,350 per month.
- Tenants’ Union estimate of nationwide protest participation: ? 950,000 people.
- Emergency decrees aimed to cap rent hikes and extend eviction protections until 2030.
Official Statements & Responses
The government framed the eviction as the type of case the rejected housing bills were intended to prevent.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My deepest sympathies to Maricarmen’s family and loved ones,” — Mr. Sánchez
- “I haven’t managed to defend my home, but I have fought so that others can learn to fight for what’s theirs,” — Carmen Abascal
Impact and Political Consequences
The eviction sparked demonstrations across Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and other cities, pressuring the government to propose emergency housing measures that were later rejected. The snap election on November 29 is now centred on housing policy, with parties debating rent controls, eviction safeguards and regulation of speculative purchases.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Protest size: Tenants’ Union cites ? 950,000 participants nationwide; AP and other outlets refer to “tens of thousands” in Madrid and “thousands” elsewhere. No independent count is provided.
- Cause of death: The union announced Maricarmen’s death but did not disclose a medical cause; no official autopsy report has been released.