Protesters call for decent pensions in Spain and protection for the future

Thousands took to the streets in Malaga while a group of protesters gathered outside the congress centre in Marbella where prime minister Rajoy attended a rally on Saturday

Nuria Triguero / Mónica Pérez

Monday, 19 March 2018, 13:52

Protesters of all ages, but the vast majority of them senior citizens, joined demonstrations around Spain on Saturday to call for decent state pensions for present and future retirees.

The marches were sparked by the recent announcement by the government that pensions would go up by no more than 0.25%, significantly less than the rate of inflation, for the fifth consecutive year.

In Malaga, more than ten thousand people, according to the government office (35,000 to 40,000 according to trade unions), joined the protest march, which took place during a welcome break in the wet weather.

Several pensioners' organisations joined forces for the protest and people were brought in on coaches from other parts of the province. The demonstration was also supported by the left wing political parties, PSOE, Podemos and Izquierda Unida.

Marbella

In Marbella, where prime minister Mariano Rajoy was taking part in a Partido Popular rally to launch the PP candidates in large towns and cities for next year's local elections, around 500 people joined the protest in Plaza de la Iglesia in San Pedro.

"This government still doesn't understand that pensions are a right and not a gift; they are a right we have earned and a fundamental pillar of the so-called welfare state," said a representative of the Marbella organisers.

While the demonstrations had been organised around the country for 12 noon, a group of pensioners had brought forward their protests and moved them to outside Marbella's congress centre where the PP event was taking place.

Placards displayed words from article 50 of the Spanish Constitution: "Adequate and periodically updated pensions." "Decent pensions."

Response

Inside the Marbella congress centre Mariano Rajoy responded to the thousands of pensioners who had taken to the streets to demand a decent pension.

Pensions will go up, he said, but only "as far as we can". "While I'm in government the pensions system will definitely be safeguarded and pensions will definitely go up, but I will also say that they will only go up as far as we can," he said.

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