Madrid's 87-Year-Old Evicted Tenant 'Maricarmen' Dies, Days After Sánchez Called Early Election Over Housing

María del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction from her longtime Madrid home set off nationwide protests and a political crisis in Spain, died Wednesday while hospitalized. Known widely as "Maricarmen," she had become a symbol for renters struggling with the country's housing costs.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was among the first to react, writing on X: "All my love to Maricarmen's family and loved ones. A hug as well to all of us who feel this loss as our own today. Rest in peace." Her lawyer, Beatriz Duro, confirmed the death to Cadena Ser radio without disclosing a cause. She said the activists and the legal team were devastated.

A fresh wave of indignation had swept Spain since September 23, when Abascal, who used a wheelchair, was carried on a stretcher from the home where she had lived for seven decades. Police had cordoned off the street and removed protesters. She was taken to a hospital because of her fragile health. Televised images of the eviction brought thousands of people into the streets of Madrid and other cities.

Under immense public pressure, the real estate company that evicted her so it could rent the property at a much higher price eventually agreed to let her return. She was expected to go home after leaving the hospital. The Madrid Tenants' Union said in a statement Wednesday: "Although a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return home, this solution came too late. It was an entirely avoidable situation following a harrowing ordeal."

Duro said the case, which "captured media attention and traveled around the world," leaves behind "the image of the shameful violence of these types of evictions and the impact they can have on people's health." Near Parliament, protesters chanted "Maricarmen lives, the fight goes on!" At the Puerta del Sol square, where demonstrators have been camped, people held a minute of silence after hearing the news.

Iciar López, a 32-year-old psychologist, called her the "head of this whole revolution" and said it was painful that she could not see if anything comes of it. Eugenio Melchor, 22, said Abascal "only wanted to die in her home," and added that he hoped those responsible would face trial.

The case has hardened an already tense housing debate. According to the real estate website Idealista, average rent in Spain has almost doubled in the last 10 years. The government says 26% of Spanish renters spend an average of 40% of their income on rent and utilities, compared with 18% of renters across the European Union.

Her plight galvanized a social movement, prompted Spain's unions to announce a general strike next month and intensified pressure on political leaders. Sánchez called an early election on Monday after his government failed last week to push emergency housing measures through Parliament. He hopes the issue will reinvigorate his Socialist Party and help him form a new government after the November 29 vote. Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez wrote on X that she "deeply lament[ed]" the death.