Mass Protest in Madrid Demands Resignation of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over Corruption Allegations

Mass Protest in Madrid Demands Resignation of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over Corruption Allegations
[Madrid, Spain – June 8, 2025] – Thousands of people took to the streets of the Spanish capital on Sunday to protest against Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez over corruption allegations. Demonstrators demanded his resignation and called for snap elections.

“Pedro Sánchez, Resign!” – Echoes Through Plaza de España
The protest, held at the central Plaza de España in Madrid, was organized by the main opposition group, the conservative Popular Party (PP). Many of the protesters waved Spain’s red-and-yellow national flag and chanted slogans such as “Pedro Sánchez, resign!”

The spark for the protest was the leak of an audio recording allegedly implicating Socialist Party member Leire Díez in a smear campaign against a police unit. That unit had been investigating corruption allegations involving Sánchez’s wife, his brother, and his former minister and close aide José Luis Ábalos.

Accusations of “Mafia-Style Politics”
Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo stated, “This government has tainted everything – politics, state institutions, and the separation of powers.” He accused the government of engaging in “mafia-style” practices and demanded that Sánchez call early elections.

Sánchez, however, dismissed the allegations as a “right-wing smear campaign” intended to weaken his government.

The ‘Koldo Case’ – A Major COVID-Era Corruption Scandal
One of the most serious allegations against the government is the so-called “Koldo Case” or “Mask Case,” involving accusations of corruption in the procurement of medical supplies, particularly masks, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Former minister José Luis Ábalos and his former adviser Koldo García Izaguirre are accused of using political influence to award contracts to select companies, from which García allegedly received substantial commissions.

Investigation into the Prime Minister’s Wife
In April 2024, Sánchez considered resigning when a Madrid court launched an investigation into his wife, Begoña Gómez, over alleged influence peddling and financial misconduct. These allegations were brought forward by the right-wing group Manos Limpias (“Clean Hands”).

Public Outrage and Political Future
The Popular Party claimed that more than 100,000 people participated in Sunday’s protest, though official figures estimate the number to be between 45,000 and 50,000.
Blanca Requejo, a 46-year-old shop manager, said, “This government’s term ended long ago. It’s just become exhausting now.”

Pedro Sánchez came to power in 2018 after ousting then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the Popular Party through a no-confidence vote.
Recent polls show the Popular Party slightly ahead, although the next national elections in Spain are not scheduled until 2027.