PSOE rallies pensioners to back embattled Attorney General

PSOE mobilizes base to shield Attorney General

Last Thursday, hundreds of people over 65 gathered outside PSOE headquarters in several cities to demand that the Attorney General be allowed to release fiscal data "when he deems it appropriate." Witnesses say the protest was orchestrated by the party to counter judicial pressure on a key figure in Sánchez's government: the Attorney General, who is under investigation for leaking tax data belonging to Isabel Díaz Ayuso's partner.

A very specific demographic mobilization

Images from the rally show an overwhelmingly older crowd; eyewitnesses reported that almost no one was under 60. "It looks like a nursing home demonstration," one observer noted. The absence of young people was highlighted by multiple sources, who point out that the hard core of Sánchez supporters relies on retirees and pensioners who vote based on loyalty rather than scrutinizing corruption cases. The timing coincided with the upcoming court date for Ábalos and Koldo García, which did not go unnoticed: "They have another demo ready," some joked.

Context of the protest

The Attorney General is charged with revealing secrets after leaking tax information about businessman Alberto González Amador, Isabel Díaz Ayuso's partner. The opposition and parts of the judiciary consider the leak illegal and evidence of partisan use of the Prosecutor's Office. The PSOE argues the Attorney General acted within his competencies. This week's protest aims to pressure the judiciary and the Constitutional Court, which has yet to rule on the case. "Everything is tied up neatly," summarizes a common analysis in conservative media.

Political calculation behind the mobilization

The strategy of taking to the streets the "grateful stomachs"—a term used for beneficiaries of Spain's transition-era patronage networks—is intended to create a narrative of social pressure justifying a possible pardon or dismissal of the case. However, the lack of diversity among attendees (mostly elderly) and its coincidence with other party gatherings have generated skepticism about its effectiveness. "If we let them, they will establish a dictatorship," warned one attendee, reflecting the tension felt by socialist voters amid the judicial offensive.

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The lingering question is whether this base of older voters will be enough to sustain Sánchez when the Constitutional Court, controlled by the party, rules in favor of the Attorney General. Yet even the most optimistic within the PSOE do not believe a pensioner mobilization will change perceptions of judicial independence.