After Being Evicted from Home of 70 Years, 87-Year-Old Marikarmen Dies, Shaking Spanish Politics

Madrid — More than ten days after being forcibly evicted from the apartment she had lived in for over 70 years, 87-year-old María del Carmen Abascal, known to the public as "Marikarmen," died in hospital. Her lawyers and housing activists confirmed the death, and her passing triggered a new wave of demonstrations nationwide, placing a long-simmering housing crisis at the center of a political storm.

According to the Times of India, Abascal was removed from her Madrid apartment on September 23. After police sealed off the street and cleared protesters blocking access, she was carried out on a stretcher and, due to her frail condition, taken directly to hospital. Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, confirmed the death to the Cadena SER radio network, but did not disclose the specific cause. The Madrid Tenants' Union issued a statement noting: "Despite a historic agreement being reached that could have allowed her to return home, the solution came too late. This was an entirely avoidable situation after a painful ordeal." Duro had also previously said: "Marikarmen's case attracted media attention and spread around the world, leaving behind the shameful violence of this kind of eviction and the impact it can have on people's health."

The real estate company that evicted Abascal had attempted to re-rent the apartment at a higher price. Only under sustained public pressure did the company agree to let her return home. The logic of swapping out an elderly person who had lived there her entire life for a more profitable tenant has been widely seen as emblematic of the speculation-driven Spanish housing market.

The stark contrast in the numbers lays bare the structural roots of the crisis. According to the property website Idealista, average rents in Spain have nearly doubled over the past decade: monthly rent per square meter rose from €8.20 in 2016 to €15.10 this year. Data published by the Spanish government itself shows that 26% of tenants spend 40% of their income on rent and utilities, compared with an EU average of just 18%. An even more telling disparity lies in the supply of public rental housing: government-owned rental housing accounts for less than 2% of Spain's total housing stock, while the EU average stands at 8%. The long-standing investment shortfall means that vulnerable families have virtually no safety net when market shocks hit.

The anger that Abascal's death sparked on the streets spread quickly. According to the Times of India, around 1,000 protesters had camped at Madrid's Puerta del Sol the previous week; demonstrators near parliament chanted "Long live Marikarmen, the fight continues." Protesters carried banners reading "Not another Marikarmen!" demanding that lawmakers take action. Iciar López, a 32-year-old psychologist, told the Associated Press: "Overwhelming grief. And above all, she was the cause and the leader of this revolution that has already begun, and she will not get to see it. She will not get to see whether this movement yields results... Honestly, that is what angers me most." Eugenio Melchor, 22, said in front of parliament: "Marikarmen just wanted to die in her own home. She asked for nothing else. She was this close to ending her days in her own home. I would say this was their doing; there is no other word for it, and I hope those responsible are punished and brought to trial."

Another shockwave from the movement reached parliament. According to the Times of India, Prime Minister Sánchez had previously called a snap election — set for November 29 — after failing to secure parliamentary support for emergency measures to curb evictions and real estate speculation. Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez stated: "I deeply mourn the passing of Marikarmen, and send my condolences to those who accompanied her and fought by her side until the end." Sánchez wrote on social media: "All my love to Marikarmen's family and loved ones. And an embrace to everyone today who feels this loss as their own deepest pain. May she rest in peace." Conservative opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said: "My condolences to Marikarmen's family and loved ones. No campaigns, no parties, no exploitation for political gain. Faced with a person's death, we can only express respect."

The disconnect between expressions of condolence and legislative action is precisely the defining footnote of this crisis: the emergency housing bill died in parliament, the public housing stock remains far below the EU average, and an elderly 87-year-old lifelong resident was only extracted by force before securing a "return home agreement" — one that came too late.