Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied in Madrid on Saturday, 23 May, demanding the resignation of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez and his Socialist government amid mounting corruption scandals and growing public anger over the administration\u2019s policies in several areas, including migration.<\/p>\n
The demonstration, organized by the civic platform Sociedad Civil Espa\u00f1ola under the slogan \u2018March for Dignity\u2019, began at Plaza de Col\u00f3n before moving towards the Moncloa Palace, the official residence of the prime minister. The rally received strong backing from the centre-right Partido Popular (PP) and the right-wing anti-immigration Vox<\/a> party, whose leader Santiago Abascal attended the demonstration in person.<\/p>\n As usual, estimates regarding the size of the crowd varied significantly depending on the source. Spanish government authorities estimated turnout at around 40,000 protesters, while organizers claimed approximately 80,000 participants. Meanwhile, several right-wing social media accounts and online commentators suggested that the real figure may have exceeded 100,000 people<\/a>, accusing the authorities of deliberately underestimating attendance.<\/p>\n The demonstration was initially triggered by widening corruption investigations<\/a> surrounding S\u00e1nchez\u2019s political circle, including ongoing probes involving his wife Bego\u00f1a G\u00f3mez, former transport minister Jos\u00e9 Luis \u00c1balos, and the recent judicial investigation opened against former Socialist prime minister Jos\u00e9 Luis Rodr\u00edguez Zapatero over alleged influence-peddling and money laundering. Protesters repeatedly described the government as \u2018corrupt\u2019 and demanded immediate early elections.<\/p>\n Most nationwide polling averages currently place PP in first place with roughly 31\u201332 per cent support, PSOE at around 28\u201329 per cent, and Vox between 17\u201318 per cent. According to aggregated polling trends<\/a>, the current left-wing governing coalition would likely lose its parliamentary majority if elections were held now.<\/p>\n