Protests, debate follow death of Maricarmen, 87, Spain protest symbol

Thousands of protestors honor Maricarmen Abascal’s life, while tributes within parliament spark debate.

Protesters gather to pay tribute to Maricarmen Abascal in front of her apartment during a demonstration in Madrid on October 8, 2026 [AFP]

Thousands of Spaniards protested outside Spain’s parliament after the death of Maria del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction ignited nationwide protests and sparked a snap general election .

Meanwhile, tributes to Abascal were debated within the legislature as lawmakers accused each other of exploiting the case ahead of the election.

list 1 of 3 Photos: Protests erupt after 87-year-old evicted woman dies in Madrid

list 2 of 3 Maricarmen dies at 87 after eviction sparked Spain housing protests

list 3 of 3 Spain’s Sanchez announces snap election amid pressure over housing crisis

Maricarmen Abascal died on Wednesday after being hospitalised for severe anxiety and exhaustion since her eviction on a stretcher from her Madrid home on September 23.

While in the hospital, she reached a deal to return to her home but died before she could return. No cause of death has been announced.

“They killed her through heartbreak,” Diana, a demonstrator, told 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.”

Diana joined thousands of protesters outside Spain’s parliament.

Outside Abascal’s building, mourners left flowers, candles, handwritten notes and children’s drawings.

“They’re not deaths; they’re murders,” protesters chanted as they walked from a protest camp in the central Puerta del Sol square to Abascal’s former home on Thursday.

Tributes in Spain’s legislature

Protests over home shortages and surging rents following her eviction prompted Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call a snap general election for November 29 after parliament failed to pass emergency housing measures.

Tributes to Abascal in the Madrid region’s legislature caused arguments as lawmakers accused each other of exploiting the case ahead of the election.

Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the conservative opposition People’s Party (PP), accused Sanchez and the Socialists of trying to exploit the housing crisis for political gain ahead of the election.

“We will not allow this attempt to manipulate the emotions of the Spanish people; all of this has happened during their eight years in government. It won’t fly,” Feijoo said.

The PP, which holds absolute majorities in the Madrid regional and local assemblies, refused to observe a minute of silence in her honour. Instead, hard-left deputies staged one 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 in parliament aimed at curbing soaring rental prices.

Support for housing intervention

A survey carried out in June and published by state pollster CIS on Thursday found that 76.3 percent of Spaniards supported intervention in the market to guarantee access to housing, while 79 percent believed the right to housing should take precedence over treating homes as a market commodity.

Ombudsman Angel Gabilondo said addressing the housing crisis would require greater commitment from all levels of government.

He said his office was 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.

数千名抗议者缅怀玛丽卡门·阿巴斯卡尔的一生，而议会内部的悼念活动则引发了辩论。

2026年10月8日，在马德里举行的示威活动中，抗议者聚集在玛丽卡门·阿巴斯卡尔的公寓前，向她致敬。[法新社]

87岁的玛丽亚·德尔·卡门·阿巴斯卡尔去世后，成千上万的西班牙人在西班牙议会外举行抗议活动。她的被驱逐引发了全国范围的抗议，并导致了提前举行的大选。

与此同时，立法机构内部就如何悼念阿巴斯卡尔展开了辩论，议员们互相指责对方在选举前利用此案。

图1/3：马德里一名87岁被驱逐妇女去世后，引发抗议活动

列表 2/3：玛丽卡门去世，享年 87 岁，此前她因被驱逐而引发西班牙住房抗议活动

西班牙桑切斯宣布提前举行大选，面临住房危机压力（列表3/3）

玛丽卡门·阿巴斯卡尔于周三去世，此前她因严重的焦虑和疲惫而住院治疗，自 9 月 23 日被用担架从马德里的家中抬出后，一直饱受折磨。

住院期间，她与医院达成协议，可以回家，但还没来得及回家就去世了。死因尚未公布。

“他们让她心碎而死，”示威者戴安娜告诉半岛电视台。“把一个87岁的老妇人从她住了70年的家里带走，这无异于杀人。”

戴安娜加入了西班牙议会外数千名抗议者的行列。

在阿巴斯卡尔的住所外，哀悼者们摆放了鲜花、蜡烛、手写的便条和孩子们的画作。

周四，抗议者们从位于市中心太阳门广场的抗议营地游行至阿巴斯卡尔的故居，高喊着“这不是死亡，这是谋杀”。

西班牙立法机构的致敬

在她被驱逐后，住房短缺和租金飙升引发了抗议活动，促使社会党总理佩德罗·桑切斯宣布将于 11 月 29 日举行大选，此前议会未能通过紧急住房措施。

在马德里地区立法机构中，对阿巴斯卡尔的悼念引发了争论，议员们互相指责对方在选举前利用此案。

保守反对党人民党（PP）领导人阿尔贝托·努涅斯·费霍指责桑切斯和社会党试图在选举前利用住房危机谋取政治利益。

“我们绝不允许这种企图操纵西班牙人民情绪的行为发生；这一切都发生在他们执政的八年里。这种伎俩不会得逞，”费霍说道。

在马德里地区议会和地方议会中占据绝对多数席位的人民党拒绝为她默哀一分钟。相反，极左翼议员在市政厅外举行了默哀仪式，并在地区议会一场紧张的辩论中，给予阿巴斯卡尔长达60秒的起立鼓掌，而人民党议员则双手抱胸，静静地坐在那里。

左翼政党批评保守派在议会中拒绝旨在遏制租金飙升的立法。

支持住房干预

西班牙国家民调机构 CIS 于周四公布的一项 6 月份进行的调查显示，76.3% 的西班牙人支持干预市场以保障住房供应，而 79% 的人认为住房权应该优先于将住房视为市场商品。

监察专员安吉尔·加比隆多表示，解决住房危机需要各级政府做出更大的承诺。

他说，他的办公室正在准备一份住房报告，并重申了扩大公共住房、限制旅游租赁、增加租金援助和加强对弱势家庭防止驱逐的保护的建议。