Thousands of Spaniards protested outside Spain’s parliament following the death of Maria del Carmen Abascal, an 87-year-old woman whose eviction led to nationwide protests and prompted a snap general election. Abascal died on Wednesday after being hospitalized for severe anxiety and exhaustion since her eviction from her Madrid home on September 23. While in the hospital, she reached a deal to return home but died before she could do so. No cause of death has been announced.
Demonstrators honored Abascal’s life, with one protestor, Diana, stating, "They killed her through heartbreak," referring to the impact of her eviction after living in her home for 70 years. Mourners left flowers, candles, handwritten notes, and children's drawings outside her former residence. Protesters chanted, "They’re not deaths; they’re murders," as they marched from a protest camp in the central Puerta del Sol square to Abascal’s home.
The protests, which highlighted issues of home shortages and rising rents, led Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call a snap general election for November 29 after parliament failed to pass emergency housing measures. Within the legislature, tributes to Abascal sparked debate, with lawmakers accusing each other of exploiting her case for political gain ahead of the election. Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the conservative opposition People’s Party (PP), criticized Sanchez and the Socialists for attempting to manipulate public emotions regarding the housing crisis.
The PP, which holds majorities in the Madrid regional and local assemblies, declined to observe a minute of silence in Abascal’s honor. Instead, hard-left deputies held a minute of silence outside City Hall and gave Abascal a 60-second standing ovation during a tense debate, while PP lawmakers remained seated. Left-leaning parties condemned conservatives for rejecting legislation aimed at addressing rising rental prices.
A survey published by state pollster CIS on Thursday indicated that 76.3 percent of Spaniards supported market intervention to ensure housing access, while 79 percent believed the right to housing should take precedence over treating homes as a market commodity. Ombudsman Angel Gabilondo emphasized the need for greater government commitment to address the housing crisis and announced that his office was preparing a housing report with proposals to expand public housing, restrict tourist rentals, increase rent assistance, and strengthen protections against evictions for vulnerable households.