Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Tens of Thousands Rally in Madrid to Demand Sánchez’s Resignation

Leaked recordings accusing Socialist figures of a smear campaign have intensified opposition calls for an early election.

Image
Protesters, many waving red and yellow Spanish flags, massed in central Madrid and chanted “Pedro Sanchez, resign!”
Image
Spain's former prime minister Jose Maria Aznar appeared alongside the current head of the PP, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, at the rally

Overview

  • Organisers said over 100,000 people joined the Plaza de España rally, while government figures put attendance at 45,000 to 50,000.
  • People’s Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo accused Sánchez’s administration of "mafia practices" and reiterated his demand for snap elections.
  • Leaked audio of former Socialist member Leire Diez suggests she sought to undermine a police unit investigating graft allegations against Sánchez’s wife, brother and a former minister.
  • Sánchez has dismissed the investigations as part of a right-wing smear campaign designed to destabilise his government.
  • Recent polls show the People’s Party holding a slim lead over the Socialists even as Sánchez remains the most popular party leader among voters.