Retirees protest in Madrid demanding pension reevaluation and protection of public pension guarantees
On a Saturday in Madrid, retirees from diverse autonomous communities gathered to voice their concerns. They urged a reassessment of pensions tied to the annual rise in the consumer price index and called for ensuring a minimum pension equivalent to 60% of the average salary. The demonstration drew approximately 15,000 participants, according to the Government Delegation in Madrid, who marched from Plaza de Neptuno to Callao with banners reading phrases like “Fair pension, now” and “Retirement, my right.” [Fuente: Delegación del Gobierno de Madrid]
Leopoldo Pelayo, spokesperson for the General Coordinator of Pensioners, criticized what he termed a persistent erosion of purchasing power, describing the situation as unsustainable due to ongoing government cuts. He highlighted that retirees confront reductions that threaten their financial stability. [Fuente: Coordinadora General de Jubilados]
Retirees’ platforms from Galicia, Andalusia, Extremadura, the Basque Country and Madrid joined the mobilization, alongside groups such as the State Coordinator for the Defense of the Public Pension System (Coespe), the Association for Early Retirement with Impunity (Asjubi40), and the General Confederation of Labor (CGT). The gathering reflected broad regional and organizational support for pension reform and the defense of public systems. [Fuente: Organización de Jubilados]
During the rally, some communities highlighted tax reductions for retiree associations and Patrimony, while criticizing what they called a rise in the cost of living that outpaces the benefits of minimum and non-contributory pensions. The protesters insisted on a comprehensive reevaluation of pensions in line with CPI movements and demanded an audit of Social Security accounts. They also underscored rejection of privatization of the public pension system and called for transparency in pension administration. [Fuente: Coordinadora de Jubilados]
The demonstrators noted that purchasing power eroded by about 3% in 2021 and emphasized that wages and pensions continued to lose purchasing power through 2022. They argued that price increases are driven more by market dynamics under a monopoly regime than by wage growth, contending that certain actors set prices to protect profit margins. [Fuente: Informe económico de los organizadores]
Organizers warned that the protests would persist until counter-reforms affecting workers’ rights and pension provisions were reversed. They argued for closing the gender pay gap, ending penalties for long contribution periods and early retirement, and restoring rights lost across successive work and pension reforms. The goal is a fairer distribution of wealth and stronger, universally accessible public services. [Fuente: Comité organizador]
Support for the march came from political groups such as United We Can and Izquierda Unida, whose members joined the retirees in solidarity. Javier Sánchez Serna, a deputy of Unidas Podemos and spokesperson for Podemos, stated that the party has fought hard to ensure their demands are reflected in public budgets and European Union plans. [Fuente: Unidas Podemos]
Criticism was voiced toward regional leaders by Roberto Sotomayor, a Podemos state councilor, who accused the Madrid regional president and the city mayor of opposing a public, guaranteed, high-quality pension plan. Sole Ruiz, president of the Red de Pensionistas de Izquierda Unida, emphasized the persistent gender gap among retirees and called for reforms to reduce inequalities faced by women who often work in informal sectors, perform domestic labor, and contribute outside the formal economy. [Fuente: Izquierda Unida]