Pro-independence parties are set to take power in Catalonia in elections Sunday that could pave the way to succession. Julian Maganto* makes a plea not to let emotions decide. On Sunday the Catalans choose their representatives in the regional Parliament. In a year that is so electorally significant in Spain as this one, in which there have … Continue reading
Any move to fix Spain’s economy will necessarily involve curtailing the influence of bankers, those well-heeled types who speculated big on the housing market that then went bust, bringing the economy down with it, and which continues to drain extraordinary amounts of public money paid for by ordinary citizens. Unfortunately, this isn’t going to be … Continue reading
Falling revenues, not excessive spending at root of deficit, a new report shows Excessive public spending is not responsible for the poor state of Spain’s public finances. Instead it is the fall in revenues that came amid cuts to spending in Spain and elsewhere. This is the conclusion of a new report by Fundacion 1 … Continue reading
Yet another European government has been claimed by the bankers’ crisis on the continent. This time it was the turn of Spanish prime minister Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s Socialists. The landslide victory of the Popular Party was widely predicted in polls – as was the devastating defeat of the Socialists. The Socialists’ 110 seats was their … Continue reading
It’s been widely seen as a two-horse race between the incumbent Socialists and main opposition Popular Party, but Spain’s parliamentary election on Sunday will likely see a strong showing for the communist-led United Left. Despite promising the same failed austerity medicine pursued by the Social government over the past 18 months, the right wing Popular … Continue reading
Spain’s United Left, the third largest national party, has announced an economic “shock” plan to create more some 1.5 million jobs in two years by investing in greening the economy, protecting the environment, tackling the housing crisis and boosting essential public services. Unveiled 10 days before parliamentary elections, the plans include creating 300,000 jobs for … Continue reading
Spanish bankers have boosted their incomes by 50% since 2004 according to a study by Comisiones Obreras, the Spanish trade union central. The most flagrant excesses relate to banks that have received large amounts of public funds, according to union, which heaped much of the blame on supervision failures by the Spanish Central Bank. The … Continue reading
by Tom Gill Spain gave the world the ‘indignados’, the movement of ‘indignant ones’ that become a global phenomena October 15 when millions from dozens of countries took to the streets. Yet less than a month from general elections in the home of this momentous street rebellion, it is as if nothing ever happened. On … Continue reading
Spain’s lower parliament has passed draconian legislation enforcing a “balanced budget”. The law, proposed by the governing Socialists and supported by the right-wing opposition Popular Party, is now expected to be passed without delay in the Senate. The law calls for a balanced long-term budget to be enshrined in Spain’s constitution, allowing for the deficit … Continue reading
By Tom Gill “No es una crisis, es el sistema! (“It’s not a crisis, it’s the system”): this was the key message the indignados sent to their politicians as they returned in their tens of thousands to the centre of Madrid last weekend. Hundreds had arrived after a month long journey on foot from 50 odd towns … Continue reading
Film-maker Pedro Almodóvar and a number of other leading Spanish artists and intellectuals who were once supporters of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s governing socialists have signed a manifesto calling for the “reconstruction of the Left.”. The manifesto, also signed by radical journalist Ignacio Ramonet, says: “The discrediting of politics, the repeated complaints about corruption of … Continue reading
Another week, another round of austerity – and another bail-out of the banks in Europe. Greece’s parliament this week passed austerity measures linked to the receipt of crucial bailout funds to prevent the government from defaulting by mid-July. Two bills authorized a Euros 78 billion (£70 billion) package of budget cuts and asset sales. Under … Continue reading
By Tom Gill Tomorrow Spain’s parliament will hold its traditional ‘state of the nation’ debate. But this year the monopoly of elected politicians over discussing the big questions facing the country has been broken. For less than a mile away from the Cortes, an alternative ‘state of the nation’ debate will be held by ordinary … Continue reading
By Tom Gill Spaniards face a deepening of anti-working class policies following the historic defeat of the ruling Socialists – unless the May 15 protests that have erupted across the country can help build a progressive majority for an alternative. The local and regional elections results were the worse for the socialists since the return … Continue reading
By Tom Gill First it was Greece and Ireland, but in recent weeks it has been Spain that pundits say may be forced to seek a bailout. The Spanish government says it won’t happen. And to further reassure the financial markets, it is pushing ahead with a massive austerity programme aimed at halving the public … Continue reading