About 25,000 rally in Madrid in support of Spain’s state pension scheme

{"heading_1":"Pressure on Spain's Pension Scheme","paragraph_1":"The state pension scheme in Spain is facing significant pressure, driven by an ageing population, low birth rate, and wage stagnation.","paragraph_2":"Protesters are concerned that the scheme could be weakened depending on the outcome of the upcoming general election, with the right-wing Popular Party (PP) accused of planning to weaken inflation-linked pension increases.","paragraph_3":"The monthly pension bill in Spain has hit a record high of almost 14.5 billion euros ($16.2 billion) this year, highlighting the financial strain on the system.","paragraph_4":"Protesters are calling for pensions to remain indexed to inflation and the gender pension gap to be eliminated, with Emilio Delgado, deputy spokesperson of the left-wing party Mas Madrid, stating that 'no pension should be below the minimum wage.'","paragraph_5":"Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has pledged to protect pensions if he remains in office, while the right-wing Popular Party (PP) leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo has stated his intention to continue raising pensions in line with inflation if his party wins the election.","paragraph_6":"The rally in Madrid is part of a broader trend of protests across Europe, with demonstrators concerned about issues such as the cost of living, school conditions, and alleged corruption."}