Maricarmen, Whose Eviction Sparked Housing Protests Across Spain, Dies at 87

María del Carmen Abascal Martín, an 87-year-old Spanish woman known as Maricarmen whose eviction led to massive housing protests and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez calling early elections, died this week, before she could return to her longtime home from the hospital.

In a joint statement cited by El País, the Madrid Tenants' Union, Abascal's family, and her lawyer announced that she died at Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Spain's capital city. They said that "although a historic agreement was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home, that solution came too late."

The 87-year-old was evicted on September 23, after the property where she'd lived since 1956 was acquired by the real estate firm Urbagestión, which raised her monthly rent. Abascal was carried out of her apartment in Madrid's Retiro district on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. As Common Dreams reported last month, under the deal, she was supposed to return home with an eight-year lease and pay no more than 30% of her income, approximately €500, or $560, per month.

The events that came after her eviction marked "a before and after in the history of this country," according to the joint statement about her death. Still, "the cost of getting here has been far too high," her representatives asserted, adding that Maricarmen asked them to share the message: "Keep fighting. Keep fighting for what belongs to you."

In response to the protests, Sánchez's Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)-led Cabinet announced a pair of decrees with largely temporary policies. They would regulate short-term and room rentals, protect vulnerable tenants from evictions, prohibit "vulture funds" from buying homes, extend some existing rental contracts, and mandate automatic renewal of such contracts.

Spain's Parliament rejected the proposals last week, prompting Sánchez to dissolve the legislature and call a snap election, which was previously planned for next year. As Reuters reported Tuesday, "Calling the election, on November 29, has allowed Sánchez to bring in the new rules with the support of a smaller caretaker body."

The news agency explained:

The measures will come into effect temporarily when the decree is published in the official state gazette but must then be sent for approval by the caretaker lawmakers who remain ⁠in place after parliament was dissolved, Sánchez said.

The standing body of 69 members, when including lower house speaker Francina Armengol from Sanchez's Socialist Party, has a slim majority in favor of the measures, according to state broadcaster TVE.

A second decree proposing the automatic renewal of rental contracts would only come into effect if approved by ⁠the reduced legislature since the government did not have a majority to validate it, Sánchez said.

The prime minister also acknowledged Abascal's death, writing on social media Wednesday: "All my love to Maricarmen's family and loved ones. A hug also to everyone who today feels this loss as our own. Rest in peace."

As The Associated Press reported, "The emotions ran into anger on the street among the protesters gathered near Spain's Parliament who chanted 'Maricarmen lives, the fight goes on!'"