Rome, 24 Oct. (LaPresse) – In Madrid, thousands of pensioners and other citizens marched to demand that public pensions not be touched. Large crowds marched peacefully through the streets of the Spanish capital, waving colourful flags and banners bearing slogans such as “protect pensions” and “decent pensions for today and for the future”. The protests come ahead of the snap elections scheduled for next month. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialist Party has criticised the conservative opposition, the People’s Party, for suggesting the possible privatisation of public pensions. This autumn, Spain has been shaken by protests linked to the housing crisis: in recent years, rents and house prices have risen, becoming unaffordable for many Spaniards. In Spanish cities, the housing shortage has been exacerbated by population growth, driven by immigration, and the proliferation of short-term rentals. In September, the eviction of an 87-year-old woman, Maricarmen Abascal, from her rented apartment in Madrid sparked large-scale street demonstrations.
Spain: Thousands take to the streets in Madrid for ‘decent public pensions’
Rome, 24 Oct. (LaPresse) – In Madrid, thousands of pensioners and other citizens marched to demand that public pensions not be touched. Large crowds marched peacefully through the streets of the Spanish capital, waving colourful flags and banners bearing slogans such as “protect pensions” and “decent pensions for today and for the future”. The protests come ahead of the snap elections scheduled for next month. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s Socialist Party has criticised the conservative opposition, the People’s Party, for suggesting the possible privatisation of public pensions. This autumn, Spain has been shaken by protests linked to the housing crisis: in recent years, rents and house prices have risen, becoming unaffordable for many Spaniards. In Spanish cities, the housing shortage has been exacerbated by population growth, driven by immigration, and the proliferation of short-term rentals. In September, the eviction of an 87-year-old woman, Maricarmen Abascal, from her rented apartment in Madrid sparked large-scale street demonstrations.