Tens of thousands of angry protesters took to the streets of 42 towns and cities across Spain on Thursday to express their outrage at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s controversial deal with Catalan separatists.
The protests, which were organized by different opposition parties, were sparked by Sanchez’s promise to grant amnesty to Catalan separatists in exchange for their support to form a majority government. This announcement has been met with fierce criticism from citizens who feel betrayed by the socialist leader’s decision.
The deal with the separatist party Junts was seen as the key component of Sanchez’s plan to secure a majority in the 350-seat lower house of parliament. However, this deal has been met with strong opposition from Spaniards who believe that Sanchez’s ambition for power has led him to put the interests of the nation at risk.
The leader of the nationalist Vox party, Santiago Abascal, was shot in the face by a would-be assassin just days before the protests. Despite this, he joined the protesters in the streets of Madrid, where tens of thousands gathered in the city’s Puerta del Sol square to voice their discontent. In his speech, Abascal promised to lower income taxes, cut public spending, and combat corruption, among other things.
The leader of the conservative People’s Party, Alberto Nunez, also addressed the crowd in Madrid and vowed to continue protesting until new elections are called. The People’s Party claims that nearly one million people participated in the protests, while authorities stated that 80,000 were present in Madrid alone.
Similar protests were seen in other major cities such as Barcelona, Grenada, Seville, and Bilbao, with thousands of citizens demanding Sanchez’s resignation. The protests have been ongoing for the past week, with many demonstrators stating that Spain is a Christian country and should not be held hostage by separatist demands.
Sanchez’s Socialist Party has been in negotiations with smaller parties after failing to secure a majority in the July 23 elections. The support of the Junts and the Basque Nationalist Party would give Sanchez the majority he needs to govern. However, many believe that this deal goes against the interests of the nation and will only lead to further division.
Sanchez’s controversial decision has sparked fierce debate in Spain, with some accusing him of betraying the country’s values and others defending his attempt to form a stable government. With the lower house yet to vote, it remains to be seen how this political crisis will unfold.
As of now, the protests continue, with citizens demanding that their voices be heard and that their government act in the best interest of the nation. The future of Spain’s political landscape remains uncertain, but one thing is clear – the people are not backing down.