MARICARMEN ABASCAL

MARICARMEN ABASCAL

Spain's housing crisis has become one of the country's most urgent social issues. In September 2026, the story of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid brought the question of housing, eviction and social protection into the spotlight.

Maricarmen Abascal had lived in the same apartment in Madrid's Retiro district for 71 years. Her parents originally rented the property in 1956, and Maricarmen subsequently continued living there.

After the property changed ownership, a prolonged legal dispute developed over whether she could remain in the apartment under the existing rental conditions.

Eventually, a final eviction was scheduled for September 2026.

The case attracted considerable public attention because of Maricarmen's age, her extraordinarily long connection to the apartment and her financial circumstances. Supporters argued that removing an elderly woman from the home where she had spent most of her life would leave her in an extremely vulnerable position.

The authorities, however, maintained that alternative accommodation had been offered.

On 23 September, the eviction went ahead.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the building to express their solidarity with Maricarmen. Protesters, activists and neighbours waited outside as the judicial authorities arrived.

Maricarmen was eventually taken from the apartment on a stretcher and transported to hospital.

The images of the eviction quickly circulated through Spanish media and social networks.

For many protesters, the incident represented something much larger than one woman's housing dispute. They argued that it illustrated the difficulties experienced by people who are unable to cope with rising housing costs, especially elderly people and households with limited incomes.

The case also raised a fundamental question:

Where should society draw the line between property rights and the right to housing?

Property owners may argue that they have legitimate legal and financial interests. Housing activists, meanwhile, argue that housing is fundamentally different from other commodities because people depend on it for security, stability and a place to live.

The debate intensified after the eviction.

Large demonstrations took place in Madrid and other Spanish cities. In Madrid, protesters gathered in Puerta del Sol, one of the city's most famous public squares.

Some demonstrators decided not to go home.

Instead, they put up tents and slept outside in solidarity with Maricarmen.

What began as a relatively small action developed into a larger encampment. People organised themselves, shared food and equipment, held meetings and discussed the wider housing crisis.

For participants, spending the night outside was intended to demonstrate that the issue deserved sustained attention rather than a single afternoon of protest.

The encampment also attracted people who had never previously participated in demonstrations.

Some identified directly with Maricarmen's situation. Others were concerned about their own rent, the difficulty of buying a home or the future of housing in Spanish cities.

The slogan:

"Ni una Maricarmen más."

— roughly, "Not another Maricarmen" — became associated with the movement.

The phrase transformed Maricarmen's personal situation into a symbol of a wider problem.

It suggested that protesters did not want her case to be treated as an isolated incident. They wanted it to stimulate a broader discussion about how Spain deals with housing, ageing and vulnerable tenants.

The government's response became another part of the debate.

Different political groups proposed different solutions, ranging from stronger tenant protections to policies designed to increase the supply of housing and protect property owners.

There was also disagreement about the role of public protest.

Supporters argued that demonstrations had forced politicians, businesses and the public to pay attention.

Critics questioned whether street mobilisation should influence individual legal disputes and whether prolonged demonstrations could unfairly affect local residents and businesses.

Eventually, negotiations involving Maricarmen's representatives, the property company Urbagestión and Madrid's municipal housing organisation resulted in an agreement.

Under the agreement, Maricarmen will be able to return to her apartment after leaving hospital. A new eight-year rental agreement links her rent to her income, with the monthly payment capped at 30% of her net income.

The agreement resolved Maricarmen's immediate housing problem, but the wider debate continues.

Her story has raised questions about housing affordability, ageing, property ownership, social responsibility, activism, protest and the meaning of home.

Perhaps the most important question is not simply what should happen to one elderly woman.

It is:

What should happen when the interests of a property owner and the basic security of a vulnerable tenant come into conflict?

 

1. VOCABULARY MATCH — PART 1

Match the words 1–8 with the correct meanings A–H.

Word	Meaning
1. stretcher	A. a place where someone lives or stays
2. eviction	B. a disagreement between people or organisations
3. spotlight	C. likely to be harmed, hurt or negatively affected
4.accommodation	D. being able to pay for something
5. dispute	E.  intense public interest, media coverage, and attention
6. solidarity	F. the removal of someone from a property, especially by legal authority
7. affordable	G. support with another person or group, especially during a difficult situation
8. vulnerable	H. a portable structure used to carry someone who is injured or ill

2. VOCABULARY MATCH — PART 2

Match the words 1–8 with the correct meanings A–H.

Word	Meaning
1.encampment	A. a thing or product that can be bought and sold
2. municipal	B. the act of organising people to take collective action
3.mobilisation	C. an agreement to rent a property for a particular period
4. prolonged	D. to deal successfully with a difficult situation, problem, or stress
5.property	E. a temporary camp established by a group of people, often protesters
6. commodity	F. relating to a town or city instead of a national  government
7.  cope	G. a building or piece of land that someone owns
8. tenancy	H. continuing for a long time, especially longer than expected

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3. SYNONYM MATCH

Match the words.

Word	Synonym
1.  cope	a. show
2. prolonged	b. unity
3. vulnerable	c. handle
4. solidarity	d. extended
5. demonstrate	e. exposed
6. property	f. financially manageable
7. affordable	g. settlement
8. resolution	h. ownership

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4. ROLE PLAY — THE EVICTION

A — Maricarmen's supporter

Keep her in the apartment.

B — Property owner

Defend the owner's rights.

C — Housing activist

Demand stronger tenant protection.

D — Government official

Find a solution.

5.ROLE PLAY — THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING THE ELDERLY

You are taking part in a public discussion about the biggest challenges facing elderly people in modern society.

Choose one challenge. Explain why you think it is the biggest problem, and propose possible solutions.

Choose one:

A — Financial insecurity

B — Loneliness and social isolation

C — Healthcare and declining health

D — Housing and homelessness

E — Age discrimination

Discuss

• Why is your chosen challenge the biggest?
• How does it affect elderly people?
• What are the main causes?
• What could governments do?
• What could families and communities do?
• What practical solutions would you propose?

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6. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

You are a government official.

An 87-year-old tenant is facing eviction.

Each student chooses one and defends their position:

A. Stop the eviction temporarily.

B. Find alternative housing.

C. Negotiate with the owner.

D. Provide financial assistance.

E. Allow the legal process to continue.

F. Your own solution.

Explain your choice.

 

 

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7. THE LANDLORD

You own an apartment.

Your tenant has lived there for 20 years.

Rents are rising and your costs are increasing.

What would you do?

A. Increase the rent?

B.  Keep the rent stable?

C.Sell the property?

D. Negotiate?

E. Offer a long-term contract?

Explain your decision.

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8. THE TENANT

You have lived in the same apartment for 20 years.

Your rent suddenly increases by 40%.

What do you do?

A. Negotiate.

B. Move.

C. Challenge the increase.

D. Ask for government help.

E. Find a flatmate.

F. Something else.

Choose. Defend your decision.

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9. HOUSING IN BARCELONA

Discuss.

1. Why are rents so high?
2. Who benefits from rising property prices?
3. Who loses?
4. Should tourist apartments be restricted?
5. Should governments build more social housing?
6. Should long-term residents receive extra protection?

Quick question

What is the single biggest housing problem in Barcelona?

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10. You are the mayor. 

There is a SUDDEN POPULATION BOOM

A huge international company opens a headquarters in your city.

5,000 employees move into the area.

Predict what happens to:

→ rents

→ property prices

→ restaurants

→ transport

→ local residents

You are the mayor.

Give three policies to protect existing residents.

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11. FAMOUS PROTEST MOVEMENTS — WHAT MADE THEM EFFECTIVE?

Throughout modern history, some protest movements have attracted international attention and contributed to major political or social changes.

Choose one movement. Research it and discuss what made it significant.

A. The Salt March — India, 1930

Led by Mahatma Gandhi, thousands of Indians participated in a nonviolent campaign against British rule and the salt tax. The march became an important example of civil disobedience.

B. The Montgomery Bus Boycott — United States, 1955–1956

Following Rosa Parks' arrest, Black residents of Montgomery organised a boycott of segregated buses. The boycott lasted more than a year and contributed to the desegregation of Montgomery's bus system.

C. The Greensboro Sit-ins — United States, 1960

Four Black students sat at a segregated Woolworth lunch counter and refused to leave when they were denied service. Their action helped inspire a wider sit-in movement.

D. The Velvet Revolution — Czechoslovakia, 1989

Student demonstrations developed into a broader nonviolent movement against communist rule. Large demonstrations, strikes and public pressure contributed to the Communist Party relinquishing power within weeks.

E. The Catalan Independence Protests — Spain, 2017

What happened?

Who protested?

What did they do?

What happened afterwards?

Now compare

Which tactics could also be used in a housing protest?

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12. WHAT MAKES A PROTEST EFFECTIVE?

Choose five:

• large numbers
• media attention
• social media
• famous supporters
• peaceful demonstrations
• boycotts
• civil disobedience
• overnight protests
• legal action
• political negotiations

Discuss

Which five would you use? Why?

13. WHEN DOES A PROTEST GO TOO FAR?

A peaceful protest lasts several days.

Businesses complain.

Residents cannot sleep.

The protesters refuse to leave.

Discuss

Should the authorities intervene?

14. FILL IN THE BLANKS

Word Bank

resolution — vulnerable — commodity — accommodation — mobilisation — eviction — affordable — solidarity — dispute — encampment — tenancy — urgent

1. The court authorised the final __________ of the elderly tenant.
2. Hundreds of people expressed their __________ outside the building.
3. Maricarmen was considered particularly __________ because of her age and circumstances.
4. Protesters established an __________ in Puerta del Sol.
5. The authorities said that alternative __________ had been offered.
6. The disagreement developed into a prolonged legal __________.
7. Housing has become an increasingly __________ political issue.
8. The case triggered a major social __________.
9. Many young people cannot find __________ housing in Barcelona.
10. The original __________ agreement had existed for decades.
11. The agreement eventually provided a __________ to Maricarmen's immediate problem.
12. Some economists argue that housing is a __________ that can be bought and sold.

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