Housing crisis activist whose eviction sparked nationwide protests dies two weeks after forced removal

María del Carmen Abascal, whose eviction from her Madrid apartment after seven decades became a catalyst for Spain's housing movement, has died at age 87 just two weeks after being forcibly removed by police. Her case drew international attention when images showed teargas being used during the eviction of the elderly woman, whose rent was being raised by 230 percent by an investment firm. The incident galvanized massive protests across Spain over a housing crisis marked by rents that surged 80 percent and house prices that climbed 63 percent over a decade.

The eviction of Abascal occurred after an investment firm acquired her apartment and sought to dramatically increase her monthly payments, a practice reflecting broader patterns in Spain's rental market. Police deployed teargas during the removal, creating images that resonated across the country and demonstrated the physical force sometimes used to enforce property claims. The incident prompted immediate collective action, with thousands demonstrating in Madrid and subsequently throughout Spain's regions, signaling deep public frustration with housing accessibility and affordability deterioration.

The political consequences unfolded rapidly following her death. Prime Minister Sánchez subsequently announced an early general election after legislative opposition blocked his proposed emergency housing measures, indicating that Abascal's case had fundamentally altered the political calculus surrounding housing policy. Her passing occurred amid negotiations for her return to the apartment, highlighting what advocates characterized as a preventable tragedy.