Outrage and Political Strife Erupt Across Spain Following the Death of 87-Year-Old Eviction Symbol Maricarmen

Thousands of Spaniards gathered outside Spain’s parliament in Madrid to protest following the death of Maria del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman whose traumatic eviction sparked nationwide demonstrations and triggered a snap general election. Meanwhile, her passing became a point of intense political debate within the legislature as various lawmakers accused their rivals of exploiting the tragic case for electoral gain.

Maricarmen Abascal passed away on Wednesday after being hospitalized for severe anxiety and exhaustion following her eviction on a stretcher from her Madrid home on September 23. Although she secured a deal to return to her residence while receiving hospital care, she died before she could move back. No official cause of death has been publicly announced.

Outside her former apartment building, grieving citizens paid their respects by leaving flowers, candles, handwritten notes, and children's drawings. Demonstrators marched from a protest camp located in the central Puerta del Sol square to her former home on Thursday, chanting slogans against the circumstances of her death.

The public outcry over home shortages and surging rental prices following the eviction led Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call a snap general election for November 29 after parliament failed to pass emergency housing measures. However, tributes to Abascal in the Madrid region’s legislature quickly turned contentious as politicians clashed over the situation.

Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the conservative opposition People’s Party (PP), accused Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the Socialists of manipulating the housing crisis for political advantage. Conversely, the PP faced severe criticism for refusing to observe a minute of silence in her honor. While PP lawmakers remained seated with folded arms, hard-left deputies staged a tribute outside City Hall and gave Abascal a 60-second standing ovation during a tense debate in the regional assembly.

Amid the political fallout, a survey published by state pollster CIS indicated that 76.3 percent of Spaniards support market intervention to guarantee housing access, while 79 percent believe the right to housing should supersede treating homes as market commodities. Ombudsman Angel Gabilondo emphasized that resolving the crisis requires a unified commitment across all levels of government, highlighting proposals to expand public housing, restrict tourist rentals, increase rent assistance, and strengthen protections against evictions for vulnerable households.