Over 30,000 people marched through Madrid on Sunday to protest the regional government’s healthcare policies. They accused the Community of Madrid of dismantling and privatizing the public health system. The demonstration was organized by the group “Vecinas y vecinos de los barrios y pueblos de la Comunidad de Madrid” and started from four different points across the city. The protestors rallied under the slogan “Let’s save our public health.”
Participants complained about long delays in primary care and a shortage of medical staff. They said that about one million people are on waiting lists across the region. Tens of thousands of children do not have assigned pediatricians. Speakers at the event said this healthcare crisis is unacceptable, especially in Spain’s wealthiest region.
Ricardo Chacón criticized the trend of privatization, calling it profit-driven and ineffective. Luis López demanded that 25 percent of the regional budget be allocated to primary care. Organizers also called for more investment in preventive care, saying it is more effective and less costly.
Several left-wing politicians and union leaders joined the protest and supported the demonstrators. Reyes Maroto, the Socialist spokesperson in Madrid’s city council, spoke out for patients without private insurance. She pointed to thousands of people waiting weeks for appointments in the public system.
Manuela Bergerot from Más Madrid shared alarming statistics about medical access in the region. She said that 139,000 children do not have pediatricians and 625,000 people lack a family doctor. Bergerot linked these problems to privatization and mentioned connections between the Quirón Group, a private healthcare company, and President Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s inner circle.
Irene Montero, a Podemos Member of the European Parliament, added that democracy and dignity require universal access to quality public healthcare. She accused Ayuso’s partner of benefiting from contracts with the Quirón Group and said privatization and increased payments are connected to this relationship.
The protest showed deep public frustration with Madrid’s health policies. Citizens demanded the government stop privatization and make urgent reforms to restore trust in the public health system. They urged leaders to focus on accessible, high-quality care for everyone. Protesters warned that continued inaction would hurt vulnerable groups the most. They also called for transparency and accountability in healthcare budgets and partnerships.
The march revealed growing political tensions over healthcare in Madrid. Public pressure is rising for the regional government to tackle health inequalities and improve services for all residents.
