Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked protests dies at 87

· Politics · Spain

María del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose forcible eviction from her Madrid apartment of more than 70 years sparked nationwide housing protests, has died, Madrid's tenants' union said. She was removed on a stretcher on September 23, igniting weeks of demonstrations including an encampment in a central Madrid square. The protests spiraled into a political crisis, leading Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call a snap election in which housing has become a central issue. Trade unions announced a general strike over housing for November 11, weeks before the vote.

Why it matters：Her death galvanizes Spain's housing movement ahead of a snap election, making affordability and evictions a defining political battle.

Key points

  • Abascal was evicted from her Madrid home of over 70 years on Sept 23.
  • Her eviction sparked nationwide protests and encampments.
  • Spanish unions called a general strike over housing for Nov 11.

Sources (original reporting)

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