Spain's far-right protest against PM

Tens of thousands of people waving Spanish flags yesterday joined a rally in Madrid called by right-wing and far-right parties against Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez over his negotiations with Catalan separatists.

Under the shadow of a huge Spanish flag that flies above the central Colon Square, the demonstrators waved their own smaller red and yellow versions of the same banner and held signs reading "Stop Sanchez. Elections now!".

Municipal police estimated some 45,000 people had taken part in the protest, which comes just two days before the high-profile trial of Catalan separatist leaders opens in Madrid under the national and foreign spotlight.

The rally was called by centre-right Ciudadanos, the conservative Popular Party (PP) and far-right Vox, which has only recently burst onto Spain's political scene, as well as a handful of smaller far-right groups.

They are angered by Sanchez's decision to take a more conciliatory tone with pro-independence parties, whose votes are crucial to the legislative agenda of his eight-month-old minority government.

"The government of Sanchez's time is up," PP head Pablo Casado told reporters before the start of the rally.