Spain's conservative People's Party (PP) today again denounced the center-left government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as corrupt and called for new elections during a demonstration in Madrid, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
"Submit to democracy - call elections", party leader Alberto Nunes Feijó insisted at the rally under the slogan "Mafia or democracy".
According to government officials, the number of participants reached 50,000, while Madrid's PP mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida said 100,000 demonstrators.
"We want to expel the mafia as quickly as possible and restore our democracy", Martinez-Almeida told his jubilant supporters.
Previously, Feijó criticized the "unworthy government" under Sanchez and his Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), which is now facing "civil protest and a loud call for freedom".
Domestic political discourse in Spain is often characterized by strong exaggerations and derogatory remarks about opponents, which undermines many people's trust in politicians, surveys show, DPA notes.
Despite the accusation that Sanchez is effectively a "godfather" of a mafia organization, Feijó has not yet tabled a motion of no confidence against the minority government in parliament.
To push through it, the opposition leader will have to rely on the votes of regional parties. However, they are unlikely to support him if he also has the support of the right-wing populist party "Vox".
The SPD is currently facing numerous corruption allegations, DPA notes.
The so-called "Leire" case concerns allegations of influence peddling in court proceedings by a former party member (Leire Diaz). Meanwhile, Sanchez's brother is being investigated for nepotism.
Donations to politicians close to the SPD in connection with a tax fraud case have also sparked investigations.
However, in the past, the SPD has also been implicated in corruption scandals related to illegal party financing, abuse of power, bribery and the concealment of crimes, DPA recalls.