Evicted pensioner Maricarmen Abascal, heart of Spain's housing protests, dies

An 87-year-old Madrid woman whose eviction triggered nationwide protests over Spain's chronic housing crisis and a political debate that culminated in early elections died on Wednesday, a tenants' union said.

"We are sorry to announce that Maricarmen passed away today," the Madrid Tenants' Union said in a statement about Maricarmen Abascal, adding that her cause marked "a turning point in the history of this country".

Abascal became a symbol of Spain's housing market on September 23 when she was evicted from her life-long Madrid home on a stretcher after the real estate firm that owned the apartment drastically hiked the rent.

Outrage at her eviction triggered national demonstrations, with hundreds of people camping in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square in the most symbolic of the protests.

The movement piled pressure on the minority leftist government to present urgent housing measures, including more restrictions on evictions and the automatic renewal of tenant contracts.

But their rejection in parliament last week prompted Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call a snap election for November 29 in which housing will feature prominently.

"The housing debate is at the centre, but the cost to get here has been too high," the tenants' union said of the election, originally due in 2027.

Abascal had been hospitalised with exhaustion after her eviction, but a deal had been reached with the company that owned her flat allowing her to return home.

"This solution has come too late. A totally avoidable situation after a torturous process," added the tenants' union.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)