Madrid, 18 November 2023 (dpa/MIA) – Tens of thousands of demonstrators again gathered on the streets of Madrid on Saturday to voice opposition to a planned amnesty for Catalan separatists that has opened the way for socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to remain in office.

Banners were displayed reading: "Sánchez to prison" and "Sánchez traitor to the fatherland," as shown on state television broadcaster RTVE.

Last weekend, hundreds of thousands came out to protest against the amnesty that Sánchez has pledged to secure the support of Catalan parties in forming a governing coalition following inconclusive July 23 elections.

The organizers of the Madrid rally put the number of demonstrators at a million, while Madrid municipal representatives spoke of 170,000.

Among those calling for the rally were Alberto Núñez Feijóo, head of the largest opposition party, the conservative People's Party (PP), and Santiago Abascal, head of the right-wing populist Vox party.

Although the PP emerged the strongest party in the elections, Feijóo was unable to cobble together a parliamentary majority, partly because other parties rejected his intention to work with Vox.

On the sidelines of the rally, Feijóo repeated his allegation that Sánchez had deceived the electorate on the grounds that he had ruled out amnesty for the separatists during the campaign. The PP is calling for fresh elections.

Abascal repeated his accusation that Sánchez's Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) was attempting to set up a dictatorship.

Sánchez says he aims to defuse the conflict over Catalonia, an industrialized and relatively prosperous region centred on Barcelona as capital, through dialogue and compromise.

Photo: EPA