An 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid home triggered nationwide protests and contributed to a snap election has died in hospital weeks after being removed from her flat.
María del Carmen Abascal, known as Maricarmen, faced eviction after her monthly rent rose from €440 to €2,650 since 2018. Images of her being carried on a stretcher from the home she had lived in for 70 years led police to cordon off nearby streets as protesters gathered.
Case sparked tenant rights movement
The photos of Maricarmen, who usually used a wheelchair, prompted a movement of campaigners demanding stronger rights for tenants. She was taken to hospital and later told by a court that she could return to her flat, but she became unwell and died this week.
Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, said in a statement: “Maricarmen’s case, which captured media attention and travelled around the world, leaves us the image of the shameful violence of these types of evictions and the impact they can have on people’s health.”
Prime minister offers condolences
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on social media: “All my love to Maricarmen’s family and loved ones. A hug as well to all of us who feel this loss as our own today. Rest in peace.”
Maricarmen lived in the Madrid flat with her parents and brother before later working as a secretary. Both of her parents died in the apartment, where she continued to live years after. In 1998, she retired and loved to run errands and “take care” of items in her home – El País reported that the only personal belongings she took to the hospital were black and white family photographs.
Housing crisis fuels protests
Protester Eugenio Melchor, 22, said: “She was dying in her home and she almost did. They have killed her. I mean, there’s no other word for it, and I hope those responsible for this pay and go to trial.”
It has become near-impossible for locals in need of accommodation to compete with tourists willing to pay premium prices for short-term holiday lets. Particularly active in the summer, anti-tourism demonstrations often take place across mainland Spain, Mallorca, and the Canary Islands.
Property prices in Spain are about 13% higher than one year ago, according to the INE’s 2026 national housing price index. While officials have made attempts to ease the crisis, including introducing a ban on short-term rentals in Barcelona by 2029, locals have made it clear they want more to be done.
This week, PM Sánchez announced there will be an early election held in November, admitting that his government has “made mistakes and has not managed to do everything we set out to do”.
