Tens of thousands join anti-government protest in Madrid

Alberto Nuñez Feijóo, person of the mainstream blimpish Popular Party, addresses the nationalist during a protestation against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government, successful Madrid, Spain, connected June 8, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP

Tens of thousands of radical rallied Sunday (June 8, 2025) successful an opposition-organised objection successful Madrid, accusing the authorities of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of corruption.

Protesters, galore waving reddish and yellowish Spanish flags, massed successful the Plaza de Espana, a ample quadrate successful the centre of the Spanish capital, and chanted “Perdo Sanchez, resign!”.

The Popular Party (PP) called the rally aft leaked audio recordings allegedly documented a subordinate of the Socialist party, Leire Diez, waging a smear run against a constabulary portion that investigated graft allegations against Mr. Sanchez’s wife, brother, and his erstwhile right-hand man.

Ms. Diez has denied the allegations, telling reporters connected Wednesday (June 4, 2025) that she was conducting probe for a publication and was not moving connected behalf of the enactment oregon Mr. Sanchez. She besides resigned from Mr. Sanchez’s Socialist party.

PP person Alberto Nunez Feijoo has accused the authorities of “mafia practices” implicit the affair, and said Mr. Sanchez is “at the centre” of aggregate corruption scandals.

“This authorities has stained everything – politics, authorities institutions, the separation of powers,” helium told the rally, going connected to impulse Mr. Sanchez to telephone aboriginal elections.

The PP estimated that much than 100,000 radical attended the rally, held nether the slogan “Mafia oregon Democracy.”

The cardinal government’s typical successful Madrid enactment the turnout betwixt 45,000 and 50,000.

“The expiry day connected this authorities passed a agelong clip ago. It’s getting tiring,” Blanca Requejo, a 46-year-old store manager who wore a Spanish emblem draped implicit her back, told AFP astatine the rally.

Mr. Sanchez has dismissed the probes against members of his interior ellipse arsenic portion of a “smear campaign” carried retired by the close helping to undermine his government.

He came to powerfulness successful June 2018 aft ousting his PP predecessor, Mariano Rajoy, successful a no-confidence ballot implicit a corruption ungraded affecting involving the blimpish party.

Recent polls amusement the PP holding lone a slim pb implicit the Socialists. The adjacent wide predetermination is expected successful 2027.

Published - June 08, 2025 05:49 p.m. IST