Massive Protests in Andalusia Demand Urgent Action on Public Healthcare Crisis

Thousands of protesters took to the streets across all eight provinces of Andalusia on November 9, 2025, united in demanding urgent improvements to the region's public healthcare system. Organized by the healthcare advocacy group Marea Blanca and supported by unions UGT and CCOO, the demonstrations marked the seventh march in four years amid escalating concerns about healthcare deterioration, especially following a breast cancer screening scandal.

Protesters marched under slogans such as "Our lives cannot wait" and called for the resignation of Junta de Andalucía President Juanma Moreno, with chants like "Bonilla, resign" echoing in Seville. Political figures from PSOE-A and IU, including María Márquez and Toni Valero, attended the protests, emphasizing the political weight of the crisis.

The protest manifesto highlighted a “serious crisis” in Andalusian healthcare, citing a "systematic and planned deterioration" and pointing to severe failures in the early breast cancer detection program that have affected many women. Common grievances voiced by participants included excessively long wait times—over 20 days for general consultations, up to a year to see a specialist, and even longer waits for surgeries—as well as a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, especially in rural areas.

Retired residents like Carmen Barea from Bormujos called this moment a "turning point," underscoring that the delays in screenings were only the “tip of the iceberg” reflecting the loss of public healthcare rights. Carlos, another retiree, remarked that while the crisis began during the time of former president Susana Díaz, conditions have worsened under the current right-wing PP government led by Moreno.

As the protests unfolded, Moreno defended his government’s healthcare management, but demonstrators and political opposition continued to press for decisive action to address the crisis debilitating the Andalusian public health system.

These events highlight a growing public demand in Andalusia for immediate government intervention to restore and protect the quality and accessibility of healthcare services in the region.