Madrid mourns Maricarmen Abascal as housing protests continue ahead of elections

Around Maricarmen Abascal’s residence on Alcalde Sainz de Baranda, demonstrators marched from the Sol encampment, lit candles and kept a minute of silence to remember the 87-year-old whose eviction ignited a broader housing-rights struggle. The government delegation reported the tribute, and workplaces across the country are also observing a moment of silence. Unions have scheduled a similar pause at noon, and several municipalities will host evening homages.

In Valencia, the housing camp’s presence is affecting the October 9 Comunitat Valenciana celebrations, with the traditional mascletà cancelled and the civic procession potentially rerouted. At the same time, the left’s pre-election maneuvering intensifies: Podemos begins accepting candidacies for its open primaries on October 14-15, Sumar anticipates a swift pact on a unified list, and internal debates continue within ERC and other parties over candidate selections.