Madrid protest: 25,000 demand inflation-linked pensions before election

Approximately 25,000 people gathered in Madrid on Saturday to support the state pension scheme.

The rally occurred ahead of the general election scheduled for next month. Participants traveled from across Spain to join the demonstration. The crowd marched from Atocha train station to the Gran Via, a central commercial street. Banners urged organizers to protect and guarantee pension benefits.

Demonstrators expressed concern that the system could weaken depending on the election outcome. They want pensions to remain indexed to inflation. The group also called for the elimination of the gender pension gap. Emilio Delgado, deputy spokesperson for the left-wing party Mas Madrid, posted on X that no pension should fall below the minimum wage. He stated that a lifetime of work deserves a dignified retirement.

The pension system faces pressure from an aging population and low birth rates. Stagnant wages and a falling ratio of workers to pensioners also contribute to the strain. Spain's monthly pension bill reached a record high this year at nearly 14.5 billion euros, or $16.2 billion. As pensioner numbers grow, the system relies more heavily on state funding.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez accused the right-wing Popular Party of planning to weaken inflation-linked increases if they win. Sanchez pledged to protect pensions and declared the current system affordable. Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the Popular Party, responded on Monday. He said his party would continue raising pensions in line with inflation if it wins the vote.