Maricarmen, the Face of Spain's Housing Crisis, Dies at 87

Abascal was carried from her residence in the Retiro district on a stretcher on September 23 after real estate firm Urbagestión acquired the building and hiked her rent. Her eviction galvanized public anger, leading to a historic, albeit delayed, agreement that would have granted her an eight-year lease at a capped rate of roughly €500 per month. Her representatives noted that while the deal represented a landmark shift for the country, the personal cost of the struggle proved too high.

In the wake of the protests, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government attempted to push through emergency decrees targeting short-term rentals and predatory investment funds. When Parliament blocked these measures, Sánchez dissolved the legislature to call a snap election. Protesters gathered near Parliament following the news of her death, chanting, "Maricarmen lives, the fight goes on." Her final message to her supporters remains a rallying cry: "Keep fighting for what belongs to you."