Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked nationwide protests dies

An elderly woman whose eviction sparked nationwide protests over Spain's housing crisis and a political row that triggered early elections has died, according to Madrid's tenants union.

Maricarmen Abascal, 87, was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her apartment of more than 70 years on 23 September after she was unable to afford steep rent increases.

The company that owned the flat later offered to allow her to return at a lower rate - but she was unable to sign an agreement as she had been admitted to hospital.

Announcing her death, Madrid Tenants' Union said Abascal's situation marked "a turning point in the history of this country".

The 87-year-old and her eviction became a symbol for Spain's housing crisis. The Socialist-led government sought to respond to the protests but its bid to push through urgent housing measures failed, prompting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call snap elections.

"Speculation costs lives, and today rent profiteering has finished killing our colleague Maricarmen," said union spokeswoman Alicia del Río.

"Her memory lives on and makes us fight even harder."

The 87-year-old was already in fragile health at the time of her eviction and she was admitted to Madrid's Gregorio Marañón Hospital, sending messages of support to protesters from her hospital bed.

When news of her death reached Puerta del Sol - the Madrid square where thousands have camped since her eviction to demand more affordable housing - there was a collective gasp, followed by a minute of silence.

Dozens of candles were lit around the square, with more laid out to form an altar to Abascal in front of the headquarters of the Community of Madrid government.

Messages laid at the scene read "it's not a death, it's a killing", "the fight will continue" and "Maricarmen, the grandmother of the whole country", among others.

Maricarmen Abascal's father had first rented the flat in Madrid's Retiro district in 1956 and she continued as the tenant after her parents died, during which time there was a cap on the rent.

The area has become increasingly sought-after, and Urbagestión, the company that bought the property in 2018, increased the rent from €500 per month (£428; $572) to €2,650 (£2,280; $3,020).

Rental costs in Madrid have soared by more than 100% over the last decade, according to property site Idealista.

The company later offered to reduce this to €1,650 - still €300 more than Abascal's monthly pension.

Three earlier attempts to evict her had been blocked by the courts and her case attracted widespread support from the public and celebrities.

Prime Minister Sánchez's minority government announced two emergency decrees to tackle the housing crisis, but they were rejected in Congress last week, and on Monday he called elections for 29 November. Opponents pointed out he had had eight years in office to respond to the issue.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets last weekend in cities across the country, as protests continued.

"All my love goes to Maricarmen's family and loved ones," Sánchez said on Wednesday night. "A hug as well to everyone who today feels this loss as their own."

The leader of the opposition People's Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, also sent his condolences, appealing for her death not to be politicised: "No campaign, no parties, no self-interested exploitation. No more stones in the wall.

"In the face of a person's death, only respect is in order," he added.

The Madrid Tenants' Union said the events surrounding her eviction represented a turning point in the country's history, but added that the cost to get to this point had been "too high".

In one video recorded from her hospital bed following her eviction, Maricarmen said: "I haven't managed to defend my home, but I have fought so that others can learn to fight for what's theirs."

A few hundred people marched from Puerta del Sol to parliament on Wednesday night, chanting "we will not tolerate a single eviction more" and "the fight will continue, Maricarmen is still alive".

There were other chants against the police. Many protesters believed that police had been complicit in the evictions, as under court orders they have to remove tenants who have been served eviction notices.

After a couple of hours, the chants near Congress gave way to another minute of silence. Then, a big collective shout of "murderers".

One protester told the BBC that people would remain in the square "as long as necessary".

Earlier on Wednesday, unions had called a general strike to take place on 11 November, demanding housing reforms.

The public outcry over Abascal's situation exposed the deep political divisions in Spain.

The political right argued that the government's attempt to intervene in the housing market would have led to fewer homes being rented and would have raised prices further.

Sánchez said on Monday he needed "a broader progressive majority" that could "overcome the resistance of the elites" to push through reforms.

However, other issues unrelated to housing, including numerous corruption scandals linked to his party, and pressures relating to the cost of living and immigration, have also caused him problems.

Most opinion polls suggest the conservative People's Party is likely to emerge as the largest party in the next election. However, they would be expected to need the support of the hard-right Vox party, currently third in the polls, to form a government.

Additional reporting by Tom McArthur