Thousands of people took to the streets of Madrid on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over allegations of corruption.
The protesters, numbering 80,000 according to organisers but half that figure according to local authorities, waved red-and-yellow Spanish flags and rallied behind a large banner reading: “Corruption has a price. No more impunity. Resign and call elections now.”
The demonstration, led by “Sociedad Civil Española,” an umbrella group of over 150 civic associations, received support from the conservative Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party. It concluded at Plaza Moncloa near the Prime Minister’s official residence.
Vox leader Santiago Abascal, speaking to reporters before the protest, alleged that Pedro Sánchez’s associates were mired in “very serious crimes” and claimed Spain was “held hostage by a corrupt mafia.”
Sánchez, who rose to power in 2018 following a no-confidence vote against the PP amid corruption scandals, has vowed to stay in office despite mounting accusations against his inner circle.
His brother, David Sánchez, is set to face trial for influence peddling, while his wife, Begoña Gómez, is under investigation in another corruption case. The Prime Minister has dismissed these legal proceedings as politically motivated.
Former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, a close ally of Sánchez, is awaiting a verdict in his own corruption trial, which concluded in May.
Adding to the pressure on Sánchez’s government, a court on Tuesday formally placed former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, a key ally, under investigation for influence peddling and other offences.
