Approximately 25,000 people have gathered in the Spanish capital in support of the state pension scheme, as protests continue across Europe, prompted by a range of issues, including the cost of living, school conditions and alleged corruption.♪

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Protesters from across the country marched through Madrid on Saturday before next month’s general election.♪

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The pressure on Spain’s state pension scheme is being driven by several factors, including an ageing population, a low birth rate and wage stagnation, as well as a declining ratio of workers to pensioners.♪

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Demonstrators are concerned that the state pension scheme could be significantly weakened depending on who wins next month’s election.♪ The country’s monthly pension bill hit a record high this year of almost 14.5 billion euros ($16.2bn).♪

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Protesters marched from Atocha train station to the Gran Via, Madrid’s busiest and most famous street.♪

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Several of the demonstrators carried banners reading “protect and guarantee our pensions”.♪

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Emilio Delgado serves as the deputy spokesperson of the left-wing party Mas Madrid in the Assembly of Madrid.♪ Posting on X, he said that “no pension should be below the minimum wage.♪ A lifetime of work deserves a dignified retirement.” Protesters want pensions to remain indexed to inflation and are calling for the gender pension gap to be eliminated.♪

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Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has accused the right-wing Popular Party (PP) of planning to weaken inflation-linked pension increases if it wins next month’s election.♪

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However, leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said on Monday that he would continue to raise pensions in line with inflation if his party wins the vote.♪

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Sanchez has pledged to protect pensions if he remains in office and says the current pension system is affordable.♪

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The system has gradually become more reliant on state funding because of a growing number of pensioners and increases in monthly payments.♪

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