Thousands Protest in Madrid Against Ayuso's Healthcare Privatization Policies
Mass protests in Madrid oppose regional government healthcare policies under Isabel Díaz Ayuso, denouncing privatization and rising wait times.
- • Thousands protested in Madrid against Ayuso's healthcare policies, with numbers estimated between 8,000 and 80,000.
- • Demonstrators demanded increased funding, improved primary care, mental health support, and reduction in surgical waiting lists, which grew by 63.7% under Ayuso.
- • Political figures like Óscar López and Rita Maestre criticized Ayuso’s government for misappropriating public healthcare funds and promoting privatization.
- • The protest reflects ongoing public discontent and vows to continue until healthcare reforms are enacted.
Key details
On February 8, 2026, thousands gathered in the streets of Madrid to protest the healthcare policies of the regional government under Isabel Díaz Ayuso. Estimates of the crowd size varied significantly, with government sources citing around 8,000 participants while organizers claimed as many as 80,000 marched starting from Plaza de Neptuno and concluding at Puerta del Sol, the seat of regional power.
The demonstration was organized by unions and neighborhood associations united under the slogan “Save Madrid’s public health” and aimed at denouncing the progressive privatization and deterioration of public healthcare services. Protesters included healthcare professionals, patients, and concerned citizens who carried banners emphasizing that healthcare is a right and not a commodity to be sold.
Key demands highlighted during the march included increased public funding for healthcare, expansion of primary care services, improved mental health support, and serious efforts to reduce the soaring surgical and diagnostic waiting lists, which have grown by 63.7% since August 2019, coinciding with Ayuso’s tenure. The lack of resources and staff shortages were repeatedly mentioned as driving the decline in service quality.
Prominent figures, including Óscar López, Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, and Más Madrid spokesperson Rita Maestre, strongly criticized the Ayuso administration for what they described as the misappropriation of public healthcare funds and transforming the right to health into a business model that benefits private interests. López accused the regional government of “stealing money from public healthcare” while Maestre condemned the political elites for “robbing” public healthcare and municipal resources.
The president of the Regional Federation of Neighborhood Associations of Madrid, Jorge Nacarino, who led the march, warned that protests would continue relentlessly until fundamental reforms are implemented. Participants also called for better working conditions and gender-sensitive management of healthcare.
This massive protest underscores widespread dissatisfaction with the current regional health policies and signals persistent activism demanding the defense and fortification of public healthcare services in Madrid.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
