World

Spain’s Parliament Divided as Thousands Protest After Death of Evicted 87‑Year‑Old

By Reuters

Thousands of Spaniards gathered outside Spain’s parliament to mourn Maria del Carmen Abascal, who died on Wednesday after being hospitalised for severe anxiety and exhaustion following her eviction from her Madrid home on September 23. Abascal, 87, had lived in the same house for 70 years. She had reached a deal to return home while in hospital but died before she could do so; no cause of death has been announced.

Demonstrators described the eviction as a form of killing. “They killed her through heartbreak,” said a protester named Diana to Al Jazeera. “Taking an 87‑year‑old woman out of her home after she had lived in the same house for 70 years, that is killing someone.”

Outside the parliament building, mourners left flowers, candles, handwritten notes and children’s drawings. Protesters chanted, “They’re not deaths; they’re murders,” as they walked from a camp in Puerta del Sol to Abascal’s former home.

The eviction sparked nationwide protests and led Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap general election for November 29 after parliament failed to pass emergency housing measures. In the Madrid regional legislature, tributes to Abascal triggered arguments. Conservative opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijoo accused Sánchez and the Socialists of exploiting the housing crisis for political gain. Feijoo said the PP would not allow the attempt to manipulate the emotions of the Spanish people.

The PP, which holds absolute majorities in the Madrid regional and local assemblies, refused to observe a minute of silence in her honour. Hard‑left deputies staged a minute of silence outside City Hall and gave Abascal a 60‑second standing ovation during a tense debate in the regional assembly, while PP lawmakers remained seated with folded arms. Left‑leaning parties criticised conservatives for rejecting legislation aimed at curbing soaring rental prices.

A June survey published by state pollster CIS found that 76.3 percent of Spaniards supported intervention in the market to guarantee access to housing, and 79 percent believed the right to housing should take precedence over treating homes as a market commodity. Ombudsman Ángel Gabilondo said addressing the housing crisis would require greater commitment from all levels of government. His office is preparing a housing report and reiterated proposals to expand public housing, restrict tourist rentals, increase rent assistance and strengthen protections against evictions for vulnerable households.