Feijoo pledges to tie pension hikes to inflation after Madrid march

Spain faces a general election in November while its social security system approaches a record cost. Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the right-wing Popular Party, stated on Monday that his party will maintain pension increases tied to inflation if it wins the upcoming vote.

This declaration follows a large demonstration in Madrid on Saturday. Approximately 25,000 people gathered to support the state pension scheme. Participants traveled from across the country to the capital. They marched from Atocha train station to the Gran Via, Madrid's busiest street. Banners urged officials to protect and guarantee retirement income.

Demonstrators expressed concern that the pension system could be weakened depending on the election outcome. The crowd demanded that pensions remain indexed to inflation and that the gender pension gap be eliminated. Emilio Delgado, deputy spokesperson for Mas Madrid in the Assembly of Madrid, voiced support on X. He wrote that no pension should fall below the minimum wage and that a lifetime of work deserves a dignified retirement.

Financial pressures are mounting on the Spanish pension system. An ageing population, low birth rates, and stagnant wages have reduced the ratio of workers to pensioners. The monthly pension bill reached a record high of almost 14.5 billion euros, or $16.2 billion, this year. As the number of retirees grows and payments rise, the system relies increasingly on state funding.

The issue has divided the two main political camps. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez accused the Popular Party of planning to weaken inflation-linked increases. He pledged to protect pensions if he remains in office and argued the current system is affordable. The Popular Party now counters with Feijoo's Monday commitment to preserve the inflation link.