Thousands of Spaniards protested outside Spain’s parliament after the death of Maria del Carmen Abascal, the 87-year-old woman whose eviction ignited nationwide protests and sparked a snap general election.
asserted
eviction → protest → election
Meanwhile, tributes to Abascal were debated within the legislature as lawmakers accused each other of exploiting the case ahead of the election.
asserted
lawmakers → debate → election
Recommended Stories
list of 3 items- list 1 of 3Photos: Protests erupt after 87-year-old evicted woman dies in Madrid
- list 2 of
asserted
woman → erupt → Madrid
3Maricarmen dies at 87 after eviction sparked Spain housing protests
- list 3 of
asserted
eviction → die → protests
3Spain’s Sanchez announces snap election amid pressure over housing crisis
asserted
Sanchez → announce → crisis
Maricarmen Abascal died on Wednesday after being hospitalised for severe anxiety and exhaustion since her eviction on a stretcher from her Madrid home on September 23.
asserted
Abascal → die → September
While in the hospital, she reached a deal to return to her home but died before she could return.
uncertain
she → reach → home
No cause of death has been announced.
asserted
cause → announce → death
‘Killing someone’
“They killed her through heartbreak,” Diana, a demonstrator, told Al Jazeera.
asserted
Diana → kill → Jazeera
“Taking an 87-year-old woman out of her home after she had lived in the same house for 70 years, that is killing someone.”
asserted
that → take → someone
Diana joined thousands of protesters outside Spain’s parliament.
asserted
Diana → join → parliament
Outside Abascal’s building, mourners left flowers, candles, handwritten notes and children’s drawings.
asserted
mourners → leave → flowers
“They’re not deaths; they’re murders,” protesters chanted as they walked from a protest camp in the central Puerta del Sol square to Abascal’s former home on Thursday.
asserted
they → ’re → Thursday
Tributes in Spain’s legislature
Protests over home shortages and surging rents following her eviction prompted Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to call a snap general election for November 29 after parliament failed to pass emergency housing measures.
asserted
parliament → surge → measures
Tributes to Abascal in the Madrid region’s legislature caused arguments as lawmakers accused each other of exploiting the case ahead of the election.
asserted
lawmakers → cause → election
Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the conservative opposition People’s Party (PP), accused Sanchez and the Socialists of trying to exploit the housing crisis for political gain ahead of the election.
asserted
Feijoo → accuse → election
“We will not allow this attempt to manipulate the emotions of the Spanish people; all of this has happened during their eight years in government.
asserted
all → allow → government
It won’t fly,” Feijoo said.
asserted
Feijoo → fly → ?
The PP, which holds absolute majorities in the Madrid regional and local assemblies, refused to observe a minute of silence in her honour.
asserted
which → hold → honour
Instead, hard-left deputies staged one outside City Hall and gave Abascal a 60-second standing ovation during a tense debate in the regional assembly, while PP lawmakers remained seated with folded arms.
asserted
lawmakers → stag → arms
Left-leaning parties criticised conservatives for rejecting legislation in parliament aimed at curbing soaring rental prices.
asserted
parties → lean → prices
A survey carried out in June and published by state pollster CIS on Thursday found that 76.3 percent of Spaniards supported intervention in the market to guarantee access to housing, while 79 percent believed the right to housing should take precedence over treating homes as a market commodity.
asserted
right → carry → commodity
Ombudsman Angel Gabilondo said addressing the housing crisis would require greater commitment from all levels of government.
asserted
addressing → say → government
He said his office was preparing a housing report and reiterated proposals to expand public housing, restrict tourist rentals, increase rent assistance and strengthen protections against evictions for vulnerable households.
asserted
office → say → households
The Aporia
