The death of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal has become the latest rallying cry for Spain’s leftist coalition government, which is using the unfortunate situation to distract from its own legislative failures and corruption scandals.
Abascal was evicted from her apartment in September after the property owner, Urbagestión, increased the rent to reflect market rates—a move that followed the expiration of long-standing rent caps.
While activists and the Madrid Tenants' Union are framing the eviction as a moral failure of the free market, the reality is that property owners have the right to set rents on their own assets.
The government’s attempt to intervene in the housing market through emergency legislation was rightly rejected by Congress last week, as critics warned that such interference would only lead to fewer available homes and higher prices.
Rather than accepting the legislative defeat, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for early elections on November 29, claiming he needs a 'broader progressive majority' to overcome what he calls the 'resistance of the elites.' This political maneuvering comes as Sánchez faces mounting pressure from corruption scandals, a crumbling cost-of-living crisis, and ongoing concerns regarding immigration.
While protesters take to the streets to demand government-mandated housing reforms, the opposition remains skeptical of the government's attempt to use the tragedy to consolidate power and push policies that have historically stifled housing supply.
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