Maricarmen, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction triggered major protests, has died in hospital, lawyer says

Key Points:

• María del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her Madrid home sparked nationwide protests and a political crisis in Spain, died while hospitalized, prompting condolences from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and housing activists.
• Known as “Maricarmen,” she became a symbol for renters struggling with Spain's housing affordability crisis, especially after being forcibly evicted in September despite fragile health and using a wheelchair.
• The eviction, which was widely televised, led to mass protests across Spain demanding action on housing costs, with activists condemning the violence and impact of such evictions on vulnerable individuals.
• Although the real estate company agreed to let her return home under public pressure, this resolution came too late, and activists and the Madrid Tenants' Union described her death as an avoidable tragedy.
• Spain faces a severe housing affordability problem, with rents nearly doubling over the past decade and a significant portion of renters spending a disproportionate amount of their income on housing, fueling ongoing public outrage and protests.