Maricarmen Abascal, whose resistance to eviction from her apartment in Madrid sparked a growing nationwide protest, has died. His plight brought hundreds of thousands of people to the streets and eventually prompted a general election after massive protests across the country.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The elderly woman, who had lived in her apartment in Madrid’s Retiro district for 70 years, was finally evicted on the fourth attempt, in full view of the media, after being unable to pay the increased rent. She was admitted to hospital, but she managed to reverse the real estate fund that had evicted her from her home and allow her to return, after a deal with the authorities.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government then suffered a crushing legislative defeat when right-wing opposition parties rejected emergency decrees aimed at solving the housing crisis.
A new round of protests turned violent in Barcelona on Monday evening, just hours after Sánchez announced he was dissolving parliament and calling early elections for November 29.
The Spanish government on Tuesday approved urgent measures to combat the housing crisis, similar to those that Parliament rejected last week.
Rising costs and housing shortages are excluding many Spaniards from the housing market, despite strong economic growth in Europe’s fourth-largest economy. The demonstrators are demanding stronger protection for tenants, measures to combat fraud and a ban on evictions when there is no alternative housing.
We are updating this story
Gn world
