In their own words
Grouped by where each speaker is from. Quotation marks are the speaker's own words; other lines are our summaries.
Spain
Sanchez said the incident involving 87-year-old Mari Carmen, who was forcibly removed from her home on September 23, should not happen again.
Our summary of Hürriyet
As quoted in Turkish, with a machine translation
“23 Eylül'de evinden zorla çıkarılan 87 yaşındaki Mari Carmen'in yaşadığı olay bir daha tekrarlanmamalı.”
Machine translation: “What happened to 87-year-old Mari Carmen, who was forcibly evicted from her home on September 23, must not happen again.”
“Today is a very sad day, a very dramatic day, when it's plain to see the effects of unbridled speculation, of not wanting to control the market, of putting out the red carpet for…”
Quoted in BBC News
More from Spain (5)
Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez said the PP was responsible for Abascal’s eviction because it would not support a ban on evictions and had neglected its housing-policy responsibilities in Madrid.
Our summary of Clarín
As quoted in Spanish, with a machine translation
“Deberíamos estar atendiendo al dolor de una mujer de 87 años que va a ser desahuciada por la insidia y las mentiras del PP, por no querer votar a favor de prohibir los desahucios…”
Machine translation: “We should be attending to the pain of an 87-year-old woman who is going to be evicted because of the PP's malice and lies, for not wanting to vote in favor of banning evictions…”
In the courts
Judicial offices carried out 4,005 evictions between January and March 2026, according to data from the General Council of the Judiciary.
Our summary of Clarín
Regional and local government
Miguel Angel García said municipal social services had been and would remain in contact with Abascal and would offer her housing assistance.
Our summary of Clarín
As quoted in Spanish, with a machine translation
“Me consta que los servicios sociales municipales han estado y van a estar permanentemente en contacto con ella y le van a ofrecer un recurso habitacional”
No translation yet.
Political parties
The People’s Party has proposed building 200,000 homes annually, lowering taxes, and reducing bureaucracy to address the housing crisis.
Our summary of The Guardian · long-held position
Right-wing parties have repeatedly demanded that police break up the Puerta del Sol encampment.
Our summary of CBC News · long-held position
Madrid Tenants’ Union
“…a turning point in the history of this country”
Quoted in France 24
“The events unleashed before the injustice of her eviction undoubtedly represent a before and after in the history of this country: massive demonstrations, encampments in the…”
Quoted in teleSUR English, via EFE
More from Madrid Tenants’ Union (1)
“Maricarmen’s case is just one more example of what happens when housing is put in the hands of landlords.”
Quoted in The Guardian
Other voices
Reactions from other countries and bodies, others involved, and commentary.
Others involved
“I have lived here for 71 years and I don't want to leave”
Quoted in Deutsche Welle
The protagonists of the occupation called for a general strike during the election period.
Our summary of Clarín
“This is the fourth time [they've tried to evict her] but the first time they've come right to the door of the property. It's completely disproportionate.”
Quoted in BBC News
The investment fund demanded 1,650 euros per month in rent from her.
Our summary of Clarín
Timeline
Coverage
Each outlet's headline, linked to its article. Non-English headlines are machine-translated. The groupings and notes on what each outlet emphasises are automated.
Our outlets in Spain didn't cover it.
8 more from Der Spiegel
Milan, Lisbon, Brussels: Protests and riots in some European citiesSpain: Anger and protests after the death of Maricarmen Abascal, who was forcibly evictedNews: Hanning affair and BND reform, Maricarmen dies, debate over trisomy testMaricarmen: Spanish woman whose apartment was forcibly repossessed has diedSpain: Tens of thousands demonstrate in Barcelona against the rental crisisHousing crisis in Spain: Unions call for a general strikeSpain: Pedro Sánchez suffers defeat in vote on housing shortageMadrid: 87-year-old woman forcibly evicted is to return to her apartment9 more from The Guardian
Police use teargas on protesters as disabled woman, 87, evicted from Madrid home‘We are suffocating’: protests spread to Lisbon and Milan as housing and living cost tensions intensifyThousands march in Madrid after death of evicted pensioner MaricarmenMaría del Carmen Abascal, symbol of Spain’s housing protests, dies aged 87‘Now is the moment’: housing activists at Madrid encampment pin wary hopes on Spain’s early electionIn both France and Spain, ruling parties must prove they can give young protesters hopeSpain’s PM Pedro Sánchez calls snap election after housing law fails to passSpanish right wing votes down housing crisis plans as protest movement growsSpain announces plan to ease housing crisis amid outcry over eviction of 87-year-old5 more from Clarín
The dramatic eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid lays bare the voracity of a vulture fundIs Madrid Burning?Maricarmen Abascal dies; her eviction had sparked a wave of housing protests in SpainThousands protest across Spain over housing crisis: harsh criticism of Pedro Sánchez and calls for a “general strike”Agreement reached to return the house to Madrid retiree who sparked protests in Spain over housing costs6 more from The Hindu
From France to Albania, social unrest is setting Europe’s streets ablazeHundreds of soldiers sent to Italy’s Milan as protests planned across EuropeEvicted Spanish octogenarian Maricarmen Abascal, heart of Spain's housing protests, has diedSpain PM to make public address after housing measures rejected: officeFresh protests to hit Spain after housing measures defeatedSpain aims to ban evictions until 2030 amid housing protestsAlso mentioned in passing by 15 outlets
- South China Morning Post (Hong Kong): Spain’s prime minister calls early election as housing becomes a national flashpoint
- The Hankyoreh (South Korea): [Photo] Wave of tributes for 87-year-old ‘Abascal,’ who inspired Spain’s ‘right to housing’
- Yonhap News Agency (South Korea): Protests spread across Europe… ‘Can’t live like this’ anger erupts over high prices, housing shortages and poor education
- France 24 (France): Spanish PM Sanchez kicks off election campaign amid housing crisis protests
- Le Monde (France): VIDEO Expulsion and death of Mariecarmen Abascal: footage of the protests in Spain
- Meduza (Latvia): 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal, whose eviction from her apartment sparked mass protests, has died in Spain
- Agência Brasil (Brazil): Protests in Madrid enter their third day after a retired woman was evicted
- teleSUR English (Venezuela): Thousands Across Spain Protest Housing Crisis, Eye General Strike
- The Times of Israel (Israel): Spanish PM Sanchez calls snap election for Nov. 29 amid pressure over housing crisis
- Okaz (Saudi Arabia): Protests in 50 Spanish cities over housing crisis amid calls for a general strike
- Hürriyet (Türkiye): From the Mavi Marmara to the Gaza Report: Navi Pillay
- CBC News (Canada): Spanish pensioner Maricarmen, symbol of country's housing crisis, dead at 87
- Fox News (United States): Woman, 87, dies after being carried from home of 70 years on stretcher during eviction in Spain
- RIA Novosti (Russia): Medvedchuk: Spain and Portugal join military cooperation with Ukraine
- NDTV (India): 'Minister Of Death': Huge Anti-Government Protests In Spain After Train Crash Kill 68
More detail
Written by our automated pipeline from the statements in the coverage; each point lists the statements it rests on.
Key points
Abascal’s eviction became a focus of demonstrations over housing costs and tenant protections across Spain.
Protesters camped at Puerta del Sol; right-wing parties called for police to clear the encampment, and CBC reported that the government had so far refused.
Reports put Spain’s rental-cost increase over the previous decade at more than 80%; Idealista’s figure, cited by the BBC, was 84%. The Youth Council of Spain said average rent exceeded 98% of average pay for people under 30.
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