Antigovernment Protests Rock Spain
MADRID, Spain (WHN) – Tens of thousands of demonstrators, mobilized by conservative and far-right opposition parties, flooded the streets of Madrid and other major Spanish cities Sunday to protest a controversial amnesty deal for Catalan separatists proposed by acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
The deal is critical. Sánchez needs the support of Catalan separatist parties to form a new government and secure another term in office following an inconclusive July election.
In Madrid, a massive crowd gathered in the central Plaza de Cibeles. Banners read “Sánchez, Traitor” and “Spain is not for sale.” The central government’s delegation in Madrid placed the number of attendees at 80,000. Organizers from the opposition People’s Party (PP) claimed the figure was closer to half a million.
Protests were reported simultaneously in Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, and Malaga. The demonstrations remained largely peaceful, though tensions were high.
The amnesty proposal would pardon hundreds of activists and politicians facing legal action for their role in the failed 2017 Catalan independence referendum. That event triggered Spain’s most significant political crisis in decades.
PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo addressed the Madrid crowd, accusing Sánchez of “an attack on the equality of Spaniards.” He vowed to use all legal and political means to fight the proposed law.
Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, called the deal a “coup d’état” during a separate rally. Abascal said the agreement “liquidates justice and the separation of powers.”
Sánchez’s Socialist Party (PSOE) defended the negotiations. A party spokesperson stated the amnesty is a necessary step to “reduce tensions and promote coexistence” in Catalonia. The government maintains the measure is constitutional.
The proposal has drawn criticism from within Spain’s judiciary. Several prominent judicial associations have issued statements expressing grave concerns that the amnesty undermines the rule of law and judicial independence.
Spain’s Interior Ministry confirmed a heavy police presence at all major demonstrations. At approximately 9:00 PM local time, minor scuffles broke out near the Socialist Party headquarters in Madrid. National Police reported three arrests for public disorder offenses.
European Union officials are monitoring the situation. The European Commission has reportedly requested detailed information from Madrid regarding the scope of the proposed amnesty law, according to a source within the commission.
Prime Minister Sánchez faces a parliamentary investiture vote with a deadline later this month. He must secure an absolute majority in the Congress of Deputies to form a government.
If the amnesty agreement holds, it would pave the way for his confirmation. The Catalan parties, Junts and ERC, have made the deal a non-negotiable condition for their support.
Opposition parties have called for another wave of nationwide protests next weekend.
