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For the rule of law, SOS the EU": Tens of thousands of people gathered in Madrid on Saturday to denounce the future amnesty law for Catalan separatist leaders and activists, which allowed the left-wing government to be renewed.
About 170,000 people, according to the prefecture, gathered in Cibeles Square, around the famous fountain of the same name, in the heart of the Spanish capital, where Real Madrid fans meet in the event of victory, to respond to the call for demonstrations launched by the right.
Shouting "Sánchez, traitor", "Sánchez, son of a", "Sánchez in jail!" and "Catalonia is Spain", participants of all ages tied Spanish flags on their shoulders or waved, while others waved European flags distributed by the right-wing European People's Party (EPP).
Read also"Vu d'ailleurs" n°128 - In Spain, amnesty sows discord
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What Pedro Sánchez wants is to cut Spain into pieces," said Maria Angeles Galan, a 65-year-old pensioner from Madrid who has taken part in other anti-amnesty protests in recent days. For her, the Prime Minister has paved the way for a dismantling of the country: "let there be the Basque Country on one side, Catalonia on the other, and say that nothing happened, and that it doesn't matter who the judges are." "He's not a president, he's a delinquent," she shouted, echoing one of the slogans chanted during the rally.
The Left Renewed Thanks to the Regionalists
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who came second in July's legislative elections behind right-wing leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo (PP), who has been in power since 2018, managed to be re-elected on Thursday after negotiating in all directions to obtain the support of regionalist parties, including the Catalan independence parties.
In exchange for their votes, which are essential for the formation of a majority, he accepted several concessions, including the upcoming adoption of a highly controversial amnesty law for separatist leaders and activists prosecuted for their involvement in the attempted secession of Catalonia in 2017.
Ten days ago, Brussels demanded explanations from Madrid on the amnesty bill, saying it had "been contacted about it by a large number of citizens". "RIP Spanish democracy 1978-2023," read a large Spanish flag, while other placards called on Europe for help: "Europe, help us", "For the rule of law, SOS the EU", "Democracy for sale".
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Where are these socialists?" shouted the crowd in chorus when a speaker at the microphone evoked the rejection of the measure by a part of the left.