Elderly Evicted Retiree Passes Away, Tens of Thousands Mourn in Madrid as Spain's Housing Crisis Exposes Dual Failure of Politics and Capital

Madrid's iconic Puerta del Sol was covered in makeshift altars early Thursday morning—candles, flowers, and placards surrounding a photograph of a silver-haired elderly woman in a wheelchair. Hundreds of protesters have been camped there for weeks; on Thursday they set out from this location, marching along a roughly three-kilometer route to the upscale Retiro neighborhood apartment where Avascal had lived.

According to Agence France-Presse and France 24, María Carmen Avascal, an 87-year-old retiree, died in hospital on Wednesday—just two weeks after being evicted following a steep rent hike by the real estate company that owns her building. Her passing drew tears and anger at Puerta del Sol, the heart of this housing movement.

"María Carmen will become a symbol of the struggle. She woke us up and made us say 'enough.' We can no longer endure this situation," Rosa Marín, a 48-year-old teacher, told Agence France-Presse.

Avascal lived her life in a wheelchair and had resided in this Madrid apartment for as long as 70 years. In September, after the real estate company that owns the building sharply raised the rent, she was carried out of her home on a stretcher. The incident became an iconic image of Spain's chronic housing emergency, evoking turmoil and catalyzing a nationwide wave of protests.

People of all ages joined Thursday's march, chanting slogans such as "This is not a death, this is a murder." Spain's central government delegation in the Madrid region initially estimated the number of mourners at around 20,000. Marisol Gayo, 82, came to support young people whose wages are far below Madrid's astronomical rents. "It's a disgrace, an injustice. The fight will continue," she told Agence France-Presse. She hoped the protests would "bring change" and push authorities to "take action."

Outside Avascal's former residence near Retiro Park, mourners applauded, laid more flowers and candles, and held a collective moment of silence. According to France 24, the original real estate company ultimately reached an agreement with her allowing her to return home at a lower rent, but her final days were still spent in hospital.

Facing public pressure, the leftist ruling coalition hastily pushed through two decrees last week, including stronger eviction protections for vulnerable tenants and automatic renewal of lease contracts. However, these minority-government measures were rejected in parliament by the conservative and far-right opposition. Socialist Party Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez subsequently announced on Monday that a snap election would be held on November 29. But multiple polls show Sánchez's Socialist Party trailing in support, and whether it can leverage the momentum of the housing protests to turn things around remains uncertain.

Manuel Martín, a 67-year-old retiree who attended Thursday evening's memorial, said bluntly: "We have the most incompetent political class since the transition to democracy." He added: "Housing is a structural problem that no single party can solve on its own. This is a national-level issue."

Juana Sotillos, a 68-year-old retiree, criticized both sides as unworthy of praise at Puerta del Sol. She told Agence France-Presse that Avascal had been "used as a political tool by all sides," and accused Sánchez of having "done nothing on housing" during his eight years in power.

Anton Alexandre, a photography teacher, told Agence France-Presse that he hoped to see a government that "truly takes responsibility for solving" the crisis, warning that Spain's welfare state is "collapsing."