Thousands of people with Spanish flags filled the center of Madrid as part of a protest against the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
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The rally was called by various associations supported by the centre-right People’s Party (PP), the far-right Vox party and the centre-left Citizens Party (Ciudadanos).
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The protesters strongly opposed the decision of the Spanish central government to replace the article of the criminal code “rebellion”, under which many leaders of the Catalan independence process were convicted, with the article “mass riots in severe form”, which led to a significant reduction in punishment for this crime. Thus, the protesters are confident that the current government is making concessions to the separatists, posing a significant threat to both the country’s democratic values and its constitution.
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“In the face of the worst government in the history of democracy, a government of lies to voters and dark pacts with enemies of the constitutional order and the unity of the nation, we have come to the right place,” Vox leader Santiago Abascal, the only leader of the three opposition parties, said in person. participating in the protest.
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Also, some organizers of the action are sure that Sanchez cannot save the country’s citizens from the economic crisis, rising prices for electricity, fuel and food baskets.
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In Catalonia, on October 1, 2017, at the initiative of the Generalitat, headed by Carles Puigdemont, and contrary to the position of the Spanish authorities and the decision of the Constitutional Court, a referendum on independence was held. Based on the results of the vote (turnout was 43%, 90% voted in favor), the Catalan Parliament declared independence. After that, the Spanish government introduced direct rule in the autonomous community and dissolved parliament, and several members of the generality, including Puigdemont, left the country.
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The Supreme Court of Spain in 2019 sentenced 12 Catalan politicians who remained in Spain. Nine people were found guilty of rebellion and received sentences ranging from 9 to 13 years in prison. Three were found guilty of insubordination and received fines. The convictions, in addition to prison terms, also included deprivation of the right to hold public office. The sentencing provoked riots in the autonomous community. The Spanish government announced a pardon for the prisoners at the end of June 2021.
