Tens of Thousands Protest in Madrid Demanding New Spanish Elections

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Madrid's Plaza de España demanding new elections and calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez amid multiple corruption scandals involving his government and family. The demonstration, organized by the conservative People's Party (PP) under the slogan 'Mafia or democracy,' drew between 50,000 to 100,000 participants according to various estimates, with speeches from PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo and Madrid's mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida condemning alleged 'mafia practices' within Sánchez's administration. Feijóo accused the Socialist PSOE party and Sánchez personally of corruption, nepotism, and influence peddling, citing scandals such as the 'Leire case' involving a former party employee and investigations into Sánchez's brother. Despite harsh rhetoric and calls for snap elections, Feijóo has not yet initiated a parliamentary motion of censure, partly due to the complex political landscape and reluctance of regional parties to support him if allied with the far-right Vox party, which did not participate in the protest. Protesters chanted for Sánchez's resignation, and the PP emphasized the need to defend democratic dignity and restore trust in institutions. However, critics note that the PP itself has a history of corruption scandals, adding complexity to the political conflict in Spain.