Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez maintains the cases against his family and entourage are politically motivated.<\/p>\n
Published On 23 May 202623 May 2026<\/p>\n
Thousands of people have marched through the Spanish capital, demanding Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez\u2019s resignation after a series of corruption scandals within his entourage.<\/p>\n
Demonstrators, many waving red and yellow Spanish flags and holding signs saying \u201cEnough!\u201d, marched through the streets of Madrid on Saturday behind a large banner that read: \u201cCorruption has a price. No more impunity. Resignation and elections now.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The protest was called by a group of more than 150 civic associations called Sociedad Civil Espanola and backed by the mainstream conservative Popular Party (PP) and far-right Vox.<\/p>\n
Organisers put attendance at 120,000. The central government\u2019s delegate to the region estimated 40,000 people had participated in the march, which ended in Plaza Moncloa near Sanchez\u2019s official residence.<\/p>\n
After the march ended, a small group of demonstrators tried to head towards the residence but were pushed back by riot police in an otherwise largely peaceful rally, images on Spanish TV showed.<\/p>\n
Three people were arrested and seven police officers suffered minor injuries, according to the central government\u2019s delegate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no one left in Pedro Sanchez\u2019s circle who has not been accused of very serious crimes. Spain is being held hostage by a corrupt mafia,\u201d far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal told reporters before the start of the march.<\/p>\n
Sanchez, who came to power in 2018 after using a vote of no confidence to topple the corruption-mired conservative PP government, has pledged to carry on, despite the proliferation of corruption allegations concerning his entourage.<\/p>\n
His brother, David, is scheduled to stand trial for influence peddling.<\/p>\n
His wife, Begona Gomez, is under investigation in a separate corruption case. Sanchez briefly considered resigning<\/a> in April 2024 after the case was opened.<\/p>\n Begona denies any wrongdoing, and a Spanish prosecutor last month<\/a> asked the investigating judge to close the case, which was brought by far-right groups.<\/p>\n Sanchez has dismissed these cases against his family as politically motivated.<\/p>\n His former right-hand man, ex-Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos, is awaiting a verdict in his own corruption trial, which ended earlier this month.<\/p>\n