Maricarmen Abascal, Housing Rights Figure in Spain, Dies at 87

Maricarmen Abascal, whose eviction from her Madrid apartment sparked nationwide housing protests in Spain, has died at the age of 87.

Key points

• Her case triggered an encampment at Madrid's Puerta del Sol and led the government to approve two housing decrees that Congress later repealed.
• The Sindicato de Inquilinas noted that although a historic agreement was reached allowing her return, the solution arrived too late.
• She had lived in her rented apartment in the Retiro district of Madrid for 71 years before being evicted on September 23.

Why it matters

Her eviction and subsequent activism became a focal point for housing rights and tenant advocacy across Spain, prompting widespread political and social debate.