María del Carmen Abascal, known as Maricarmen, died in hospital on Wednesday after police removed her from the Madrid home where she’d lived for seven decades. She was 87 and used a wheelchair. Her eviction on Sept. 23 sparked protests across Spain; no cause of death has been announced.
Thousands marched through central Madrid on Thursday, Oct. 8. They carried a wreath from a protest camp in Puerta del Sol to Maricarmen’s former home near Retiro Park. Members of the Tenants Union wore orange vests and walked arm-in-arm. Protesters chanted, “They’re not deaths; they’re murders,” and, near Spain’s Parliament, “Maricarmen lives, the fight goes on!”
An eviction and a delayed return
Maricarmen had lived in the apartment almost her entire life, first with her parents and brother. She later worked as a secretary for the board of a pharmaceutical company and retired in 1998. An investment fund bought the building, and rent increases far exceeded her pension income as she fought a lengthy legal battle to remain there.
Police cordoned off the street as they carried Maricarmen from her home on a stretcher. Televised images of the removal prompted protests in Madrid and other cities. Spanish media reported that she took few belongings to hospital, including black-and-white family photographs.
While in hospital, Maricarmen reached an agreement that would have allowed her to return. The real estate company had agreed to let her back into the apartment after public pressure. She died before she could return.
Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, told Cadena Ser radio that she couldn’t disclose a cause of death. Duro said Maricarmen had been hospitalised for severe anxiety and exhaustion since her eviction. “Maricarmen’s case, which captured media attention and travelled around the world, leaves us the image of the shameful violence of these types of evictions and the impact they can have on people’s health,” Duro said.
The Madrid Tenants’ Union called the outcome “an entirely avoidable situation following a harrowing ordeal,” saying the agreement came too late. Eugenio Melchor, 22, said Maricarmen “only wanted to die in her home. She wasn’t asking for anything else.” He added: “They have killed her. I mean, there’s no other word for it, and I hope those responsible for this pay and go to trial.”
Rent, migration and the housing shortage
Spain’s housing shortage and rising rents are driving protests as the country has added households faster than it has built homes. Between 2021 and 2025, Spain had about 1.2 million new households, driven in great part by migrants who contributed to recent economic growth. Fewer than half a million homes were built over the same period.
The Bank of Spain estimated a shortfall of about 750,000 homes. Its deputy governor, Soledad Núñez, warned in September that the figure could reach one million by 2028. The National Statistics Institute counted 3.8 million empty properties. Many sit in depopulated rural areas; others await renovation or are involved in inheritance disputes.
Idealista reported that average Spanish rental costs had risen 84% over the previous 10 years. The government said 26% of Spanish renters spent an average of 40% of their income on rent and utilities, compared with 18% of renters across the European Union.
Carmen Pérez, a retired widow originally from Ecuador who had lived in Spain for 17 years, moved in with her daughter and son-in-law while seeking affordable rent. “When a property is listed to rent, there’s always a long waiting list,” she said. “And the rent is always too high for me. All of this has affected my health — I’ve got depression, I don’t have any stability or security.”
Political dispute as protests continue
Parliament rejected government proposals to address the crisis. Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a snap general election for Nov. 29 and said he was legislating “against those who consider housing just another object on the market with which to speculate.” Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, leader of the conservative opposition People’s Party (PP), accused Sanchez and the Socialists of exploiting the issue.
A Centre for Sociological Research study found 76% supported limits on short-term tourist accommodation and 72% supported higher taxes for people with 10 or more properties. A separate survey found 79% believed the right to housing should take precedence over treating homes as a market commodity.
Mourners left candles, flowers, handwritten notes and children’s drawings outside Maricarmen’s building. People camped in Puerta del Sol held a minute of silence. “Maricarmen lives, the fight goes on!” protesters said.