SPAIN
– Local elections
Sunday’s
local elections could shake up “politics as usual” and bring
about change in corrupt Spain
Thousands
gathered to watch new left-wing political party Podemos close its
campaign in Madrid Friday ahead of local elections scheduled for
Sunday.
Podemos
leader Pablo Iglesias attacked Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for his
use of a private jet that cost 10,000 euros an hour, while Spain
limps on in poor economic form.
Rajoy
claimed Tuesday that Spain is in a good economic situation compared
to 2012 and that no one is talking about recession or strikes, which
Iglesias responded to:
“They
don't talk about strikes in the neighborhood where you live, Mr
Rajoy. They don’t talk about strikes in the restaurants where you
eat, Mr Rajoy. In the private jets, and in the restaurants where you
eat ... there no. But where we come from, yes we talk about strikes.
In my neighborhood Mr Rajoy, we talk about strikes. We come from the
real world and in this country we talk about strikes. In this country
there are 13 million people at risk of poverty.”
Sunday's
elections will take place in a climate of high unemployment and
extreme disappointment in the governing Popular Party and Prime
Minister Rajoy. Anti-austerity movement Podemos is hoping to gather
voters and shake up traditional politics.
The local
elections are seen by many as an opportunity for voters to express
their discontentment with the economic crisis and scandals that have
shaken Spain’s political class over the last few years.
New parties,
such as Podemos and its right-wing rival Ciudadanos (Citizens), are
hoping to rattle the dominant two-party system, which has seen the
Socialist Party and the conservative Popular Party alternate power
for nearly four decades. Since 2008’s financial crisis, many
European countries have seen a disintegration of traditional
political systems as well as strong turnout to vote for
anti-austerity parties; most notably with the election of Syriza in
Greece in January, then the landslide victory of the Scottish
National Party in Scotland in the U.K.’s recent general election.
People will
be going to the polls to elect councilors in 8,100 towns and
parliament members in 13 of Spain´s 17 regions. The biggest battles
are set to take place in Madrid and Barcelona.
Iglesias
called on all citizens to boot the usual parties out on Sunday by
casting a vote for change. “The only useful vote in this country is
the purple vote; it’s the Podemos vote,” he said.
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