Spanish unions call general strike over housing before snap election

Maricarmen Abascal, an 87-year-old Spanish pensioner, passed away after being evicted from the apartment she had lived in for seven decades. Her eviction sparked widespread protests in Madrid, with demonstrators holding a minute of silence in Sol square. The protests eventually led Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call for early elections on November 29.

Abascal was hospitalized following her eviction, but a deal was reached that would have allowed her to return to her home. However, the solution arrived too late, as she died before she could be discharged from the hospital. The Madrid Tenants' Union described her case as an "entirely avoidable situation" following a "harrowing ordeal."

The protests in Madrid drew tens of thousands of people, who were outraged by the situation. The prime minister's call for early elections was prompted by the failure to pass measures addressing the housing crisis. Tenants' unions announced a nationwide general strike over housing issues on November 11, following parliament's rejection of decrees aimed at curbing evictions and limiting rent pressures.

Abascal's passing has left a lasting impact on those involved in the housing struggle. Trade unions and the Madrid Tenants' Union honored her fight and the legacy she left behind, urging people to continue fighting for their rights. Spain's territorial policy minister, Angel Victor Torres, emphasized that Abascal had become a symbol of the challenges many families face in trying to stay in their homes.