madrid | The Spanish right mobilizes tens of thousands of demonstrators

(Madrid) Demonstration of force at the start of the electoral year in Spain: several tens of thousands of people demonstrated on Saturday in Madrid against the left-wing government of Pedro Sanchez, in particular its Catalan policy, with the support of the opposition right and extreme right.

Attendees, many waving red and yellow Spanish flags, demanded the prime minister’s resignation, with some displaying a portrait of Mr Sanchez crossed out with the words “traitor”.

Some 30,000 people took part in the rally in Cibeles Square in Madrid, according to estimates by the central government delegation in the Spanish capital, with organizers putting the figure at 700,000 people.

The demonstration, organized at the call of right-wing civil society organizations, received the support of the Popular Party (PP), the main opposition party, and the far-right formation Vox, knowing that the general elections are planned for the end of 2023.

The right is outraged by the government’s decision to abolish the offense of sedition, the main charge having targeted nine Catalan separatist leaders sentenced to sentences ranging from 9 to 13 years in prison for their role in the attempted secession from the Catalonia in 2017.

This offense of sedition was replaced by another offense punishable by less severe prison sentences.

Conservatives also criticize a law against sexual violence that increases penalties for rape while reducing sentences for other sexual offenses.

Speaking to the press at the start of the rally, Vox leader Santiago Abascal denounced “the worst government in history” which had “divided Spaniards and freed rapists and coup plotters”. “We need a permanent and massive mobilization until the autocrat Pedro Sanchez is ousted from power,” he said.

Antonio Orduna, 67, told AFP that he had come to demonstrate against a government that “let those who want to break Spain up off the hook”.

This retired accountant denounces the abolition of the offense of sedition and the decision in 2021 by Mr. Sanchez to pardon the nine separatist leaders sentenced to sentences ranging from 9 to 13 years in prison for their role in the events of 2017.

With Carles Puigdemont at its head, the Catalan regional government had tried in October 2017 to secede from Spain by organizing a self-determination referendum, banned by justice, before the local Parliament unilaterally declared the region’s independence. .

This attempt at secession sparked one of the most serious political crises that Spain had known in decades. The separatist leaders had been imprisoned or had fled abroad like Mr. Puigdemont.

PP, the Vox dilemma

Popular Party President Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who has tried to move the PP towards the center since taking over as leader in April, did not attend the rally but encouraged his members to attend.

Most polls give the PP the winner in the general elections scheduled for the end of the year, but they also show that the conservatives will need the support of Vox to govern.

Local and regional elections are also scheduled for May.

One of Mr. Feijoo’s main dilemmas is whether the PP should continue its policy of alliance with Vox as it has done in some areas or end it to broaden its base.

Vox split from the PP in 2013 and is now the third force in parliament.

Without a parliamentary majority, the government of Mr. Sanchez has for its part been forced since its formation to negotiate with the Basque and Catalan separatists to have its laws adopted, which has aroused the anger of the right.

The Conservatives accuse Mr Sanchez of suppressing the offense of sedition to secure the support of the Catalan independence party ERC in parliament.

The government replies that this provision of the law, archaic, should be replaced by another more in line with European standards.

At a Socialist Party rally on Saturday in Valladolid (north), Mr Sanchez defended his record, saying the government had to take action to quell the conflict in Catalonia.