Spanish pensioner whose eviction sparked nationwide protests dies, union says

An elderly woman whose eviction sparked nationwide protests over Spain's housing crisis and a political row that triggered early elections has died, according to Madrid's tenants union.

Maricarmen Abascal, 87, was forcibly removed on a stretcher from her apartment of more than 70 years on 23 September after she was unable to afford rent increases.

The company that owned the flat later offered to allow her to return at a lower rate - but she was unable to sign an agreement as she had been admitted to hospital.

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

Union spokesperson Alicia del Río said: "Speculation costs lives, and today rentierism has finished killing our colleague Maricarmen" but "her memory lives on with us".

Abascal became a symbol for Spain's housing crisis following her eviction.

Her father first rented the property in 1956 and she continued as the tenant after her parents died, during which time there was a cap on the rent.

However, Urbagestión, which bought the property in 2018, increased the rent from €500 per month (£428; $572) to €2,650 (£2,280; $3,020).

The company later offered to reduce this to €1,650 - still €300 more than Abascal's monthly pension.

Three previous attempts to evict her were blocked by the courts and the case has received increasing media attention.

Anger over the situation grew, leading to protests and putting pressure on the coalition government to approve emergency housing legislation - but it was rejected in Congress last week.

That led to further protests, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets in cities across the country over the weekend.