Massive protest in Madrid. Tens of thousands of people demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
Tens of thousands of people took part in a march through Madrid on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez amid a series of corruption scandals. A small group of protesters tried to force through security barriers around Sanchez's residence, but the protest was largely peaceful, according to Reuters.
Police detained a group of people with their faces covered on the main thoroughfare leading to the Moncloa Palace, the official residence where the socialist leader lives with his family, according to images broadcast by Spanish television. Three people were arrested, the authorities said.
Demonstrators carried banners with messages such as “Resignation of the Socialist Mafia” and other slogans, alongside numerous national flags, as part of the “March for Dignity” organized by the Sociedad Civil Española (Spanish Civil Society).
Leaders of the opposition from the People's Party (PP), as well as representatives of the far-right Vox formation, also participated in the protest.
Massive protest in Madrid today against PM Sanchez, former PM Zapatero and the ruling socialist PSOE party.
The protesters demand that Sanchez steps down and that investigations are launched into PSOE corruption and mafia practices.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 23, 2026
A Spanish court announced on Tuesday that former Socialist Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is under investigation for allegedly coordinating an influence-peddling and money-laundering ring, in a new episode that puts pressure on the left-wing government.
Zapatero, one of the main political allies of the current prime minister, rejected the accusations and said he had committed no illegality.
Pedro Sanchez briefly considered resigning in April 2024 after a judge opened an investigation targeting his wife, Begoña Gómez. The prime minister has publicly defended his family, claiming the files are politically motivated and promoted by far-right opponents.
Begoña Gómez denies all charges. Last month, a Spanish prosecutor asked the judge handling the case to drop it after the complaint was filed by far-right groups.
The organizers of the protest stated that approximately 80,000 people participated in the demonstration. The representative of the Spanish government in Madrid, however, estimated the presence of around 40,000 people.
