Evicted Spanish pensioner Maricarmen Abascal dies aged 87

Maricarmen Abascal, the 87-year-old pensioner whose eviction triggered widespread housing protests across Spain, died on October 7, 2026. Madrid's tenants' union announced her death on Wednesday, as reported by France 24 and the Irish Times. [1][2][9]

The Irish Times reported that Abascal was removed from the home in Madrid where she had lived for 70 years. Her eviction followed a 230 per cent rent hike demanded by an investment fund that purchased her apartment. As FTMQ News reported earlier, she was forcibly removed on a stretcher on September 23, 2026. [2][9]

According to France 24 and the Irish Times, Abascal's removal sparked weeks of nationwide demonstrations and calls to resolve the housing crisis. Protesters established an organized encampment at the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid. Public discontent regarding affordable housing had already grown following earlier scandals and the suicide of an evicted woman in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. [1][2][7][9]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced 21 urgent housing measures following the demonstrations. Spanish parliament rejected decrees intended to curb evictions and limit rent pressure, leading the prime minister to call a snap general election for November 29, 2026. [2][9]