About 25,000 march in Madrid for Spain's state pension scheme as monthly pension bill touches a record

24 October 2026

Approximately 25,000 people gathered in Madrid on Saturday, 24 October 2026, in support of Spain's state pension scheme. Protesters marched from Atocha train station to the Gran Via and carried banners reading 'protect and guarantee our pensions'. Demonstrators want pensions to remain indexed to inflation and the gender pension gap to be eliminated. The march was held before Spain's general election next month. The report states that pressure on Spain's state pension scheme is being driven by an ageing population, a low birth rate, wage stagnation and a declining ratio of workers to pensioners. Spain's monthly pension bill hit a record high this year of almost 14.5 billion euros. The march formed part of a wider wave of protests across Europe over the cost of living and school conditions.