An 87-year-old pensioner, Maricarmen Abascal, has died after being forcibly evicted from her home in Madrid. She had lived in her apartment for more than 70 years, but her landlord raised the rent from €500 to €2,650 a month, which was much higher than her monthly pension. Her death on Wednesday has caused strong public anger across Spain, turning her into a symbol of the country's growing housing crisis.
Following news of her death, thousands of people gathered in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square to pay tribute to Abascal with candles and minutes of silence. Demonstrators then marched toward the Spanish Parliament, chanting against high rents and demanding an end to evictions. Protesters have been camping in the square for almost two weeks, insisting that housing should be affordable for everyone.
The tragedy has also led to political turmoil in Spain. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez tried to pass emergency housing legislation to control rent prices, but parliament rejected the bills last week. Because of the political breakdown and public outrage, Sánchez has called for snap general elections on November 29. Meanwhile, trade unions have called for a nationwide general strike on November 11 to demand urgent housing reforms.