anti-austerity movement in spain Anti-Austerity-Movement-in-Spain

Anti-austerity movement in Spain
public broadcasting company, between 6.5 and 8 million
Spaniards have participated in these events. [15]
1 Background
Since the ongoing economic crisis began, Spain has had
one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe, reach-
ing a eurozone record of 21.3%. The number of un-
employed people in Spain stood at 4,910,200 at the end
of March 2011, up about 214,000 from the previous
quarter, [16] while the youth unemployment rate stands at
43.5%, the highest in the European Union. [17] In Septem-
ber 2010 the government approved a sweeping overhaul
of the labour market designed to reduce unemployment
and revive the economy. Main trade unions CCOO and
Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), and minor ones,
rejected the plan because it made it easier and cheaper for
employers to hire and fire workers. Trade unions called
for a general strike, the first in a decade in Spain, on 29
September 2010. [18]
Documental 15M: «Excelente. Revulsivo. Importante». English
subtitles
The anti-austerity movement in Spain, also referred to
as the 15-M Movement (Spanish: Movimiento 15-M), [2]
the Indignants Movement, [3] and Take the Square
#spanishrevolution, [4] is a series of ongoing [5] demon-
strations in Spain whose origin can be traced to social
networks such as Real Democracy NOW (Spanish: De-
mocracia Real YA) or Youth Without a Future (Spanish:
Juventud Sin Futuro), among other civilian digital plat-
forms and 200 other small associations. [6] The demon-
strations began on 15 May 2011, with an initial call in 58
Spanish cities. [7]
The movement demands a radical change in Spanish pol-
itics, as demonstrators do not consider themselves to be
represented by any traditional party nor favored by the
measures approved by politicians. [8] Spanish media has
related the movement to the economic crisis, Stéphane
Hessel's Time for Outrage!, [8] the NEET-troubled gener-
ation and current demonstrations in the Middle East and
North Africa, [9] Iran, Greece, [10] and Portugal, [11] as well
as the 2009 Icelandic demonstrations. [12] The movement
drew inspiration from 2011 revolutions in Tunisia and
Egypt and uprisings in France in 1968, Greece in 2008,
and South Korea in 1980 and 1987. The demonstrations
occurred close to the local and regional elections, held on
22 May.
Demonstration in Barcelona on 22 January 2011, against the
raise in the retirement age
For the rest of the year, the government proceeded with
economic reforms. In January 2011, the government
reached an agreement with the main trade unions to in-
crease the retirement age from 65 to 67. Still, anarcho-
syndicalist and other unions rejected the plan and called
for a strike on 27 January in Galicia, Catalonia and the
Basque Country. Other demonstrations in Madrid ended
up in clashes. [19][20] The majority of Spaniards also re-
jected the higher retirement age. [21]
Even though demonstrators form a heterogeneous and
ambiguous group, they share a strong rejection of un-
employment, welfare cuts, Spanish politicians, and the
current two-party system in Spain between the Spanish
Socialist Workers’ Party and the People’s Party. Their
sentiments also encompass the rejection of the cur-
rent political system, capitalism, banks and political
corruption. [13] Many call for basic rights, which consist In February the so-called Sinde law passed, adding an-
of home, work, culture, health and education rights. [14]
other motivation for the protests. The law allows an
According to statistics published by RTVE, the Spanish administrative commission to shut down any web page
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