Revolting Europe
Spain
Wealth inequality in Spain deepens as poorest get poorer and corporate profits soar, new figures show
An analysis of tax data in Spain shows how austerity and labour market counter-reforms have slashed the wage share of the country’s wealth to new lows while corporate profits have soared. The findings by economist Gabriel Flores published in online newspaper Nueva Tribuna are: Labour income has declined as a proportion of GDP from 50% … Continue reading
The Abuse of Overtime: Case of Spain
Spanish workers three and a half million hours of unpaid overtime a week – equivalent to more than one hundred thousand jobs in a country with over 17% unemployment. The opposition is pushing for a new law that will expose individual firms for exploiting their workforce in this way, says Vincente Clavero The effects of … Continue reading
Catalonia: The problems and errors of the independence movement
By Vincenc Navarro* Catalonia is experiencing the greatest social and political crisis, and soon also economic crisis since the democracy returned to Spain. I have previously written on the dimensions of the great social crisis in Catalonia, the greatest in this century and the end of the previous one (“El mayor problema que tiene hoy … Continue reading
Catalonia: Towards a unilateral declaration of independence?
Both governments are fuelling the fire, one with a unilateral declaration of independence, the other with the use of the iron fist. An impasse that could have heavy consequences for everyone. The Catalan crisis is a deterioration of the crisis of the state in Spain. And it can only be solved by renewing the constitutional … Continue reading
Why workers need a pay rise: View from Spain
To overcome economic crisis Spain needs an economic policy aimed at raising wages, among other measures. Just the opposite of the policy applied by the Popular Party, recommended by the Bank of Spain and imposed from the EU Troika, argues Fernando Luengo* For reasons of equity. It is not fair that the costs of the economic … Continue reading
ECB at the service of private interests
By Odalys Padrón* Europe has a long democratic tradition. Athens in the VII to V centuries B.C., evolved from an oligarchy, rule by the few, to a democracy, government by the people. This achievement was brought about by the people through countless popular rebellions. It was not a full democracy, since slavery endured and women … Continue reading
10 reasons why the Sorpasso of Spain’s Radical Left failed last Sunday
Josep Maria Antentas* on the disappointing results for the radical left Unidos Podemos – an alliance of Podemos and the Communist-led United Left – in general elections last weekend. Undoubtedly, we expected a better night. From sorpasso to sorpresa (surprise), the elections of June 26 definitively marks the end of the first stage opened with … Continue reading
Brexit – Reactions from Europe’s radical Left
French communists British citizens have just voted to 51.9% out of the European Union. It is a new shock revealing the magnitude of the popular rejection against the neoliberal EU. The time has come to rebuild the EU, to build a Union of peoples and of free nations, sovereign and partners, for human progress and … Continue reading
Spain’s disposable workers
If a weapon is given to someone, it is normal to use it when needed. And that’s exactly what Spanish businesses are doing with the legal weapons that they have been given to hire and fire workers at their convenience. As a result, the labour market has become a roller coaster, up and down in … Continue reading
Spanish unions, opposition slam ‘barbaric’ IMF recommendations for ‘reform’
The IMF has urged Spain to continue its neo-liberal reforms, in an indication of concern that elections in the fall could deliver a more progressive government than the current regime of Mariano Rajoy. It is calling for the part-privatisation of health and education, through ‘co-payments’ for services. It also wants to see further deregulation of … Continue reading
Podemos, Greece and the hot Spanish autumn
How much influence does the Greek question have on Podemos and the hopes for change of the Spanish Left? The chemistry between Iglesias and Tsipras has been a constant in recent months, but will this close relationship now weaken the Iberian upstart party in the next two important elections this autumn? While it is down … Continue reading
Exploited Telefonica workers find ally in radical Barcelona mayor
Barcelona’s new radical mayor-elect has signalled her determination to secure a fair deal for exploited Telefonica-Movistar workers by threatening to curtail the company’s contract with the City to put pressure the company in its labour dispute. Outgoing mayor Xavier Triasa aimed to prolong the contract between the operator and the City Council for another year until July 2016, but that is now … Continue reading
Who is the new mayor of Barcelona and how did she secure control of Spain’s second city?
Former anti-eviction activist Ada Colau has been elected the new mayor Barcelona in the municipal elections this Sunday. Ahead of the victory of the radical campaigner, who was backed by a coalition including Podemos and United Left, she spoke to Il Manifesto newspaper. A squatter in power. If we wanted to find a way of … Continue reading
Spain’s local elections confirm Podemos as third force while in Barcelona radical left triumphs
The upstart left party Podemos has claimed it is a “lever for change”, as it broke through in eight regions of Spain to become the third force in eight of the 13 regional parliaments contested. “We would have liked to see a more rapid erosion of the large parties, according to Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, who described this … Continue reading
Ciudadanos, Podemos and the middle ground
Josep Maria Antentas explains the challenges for the left-wing Podemos, faced with the threat from another political upstart, Cuidadanos, that is rivalling it in the polls The emergence of Ciudadanos (‘Citizens’) has once again changed Spain’s fluid and volatile political landscape. Finally the option of peaceful change, a regeneration of the model, without changing it. Is … Continue reading
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