Opposition Protests Against Sánchez in Madrid
Thousands of Spaniards participated in a demonstration today, Sunday, in the capital Madrid, organized by the opposition, which accuses Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government of corruption.
Protesters, many waving Spain’s red and yellow flags, gathered in “Plaza España” in the city center, chanting: “Pedro Sánchez, resign!”
The People’s Party called for the protest following leaked audio recordings allegedly documenting a member of the Socialist Party, Leire Díaz, attacking the police unit investigating corruption allegations against Sánchez’s wife, brother, and former chief aide.
Díaz denied the accusations, stating to journalists last Wednesday that she was conducting research for a book and was not speaking on behalf of the party or Sánchez; she also resigned from the Socialist Party led by the Prime Minister.
People’s Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo accused the government of “mafia-like practices” in this case, asserting that Sánchez is “at the heart” of multiple corruption scandals.
During the protest, Feijóo added: “This government has tarnished everything: politics, state institutions, and the separation of powers,” urging Sánchez to “call for early elections.”
The opposition party estimated that over 100,000 people participated in the protest, held under the slogan “Mafia or Democracy,” while the Central Government’s representative in Madrid estimated the turnout to be between 45,000 and 50,000.
Blanca Riquejo, a 46-year-old shop manager, told AFP during the protest: “The expiration date for this government passed a long time ago; it has become exhausting.”
Sánchez described the investigations into those close to him as part of “a smear campaign by the right to overthrow the government.”
The Socialist leader came to power in June 2018 after ousting his People’s Party predecessor Mariano Rajoy via a vote of no confidence due to a corruption scandal.
Recent opinion polls show the People’s Party with a slight lead over the Socialists, with general elections scheduled for 2028.
