Protest Ahead Of Spain Elections

A few days ago I wrote an article here about the general disenchantment of Spaniards with politics in Spain.  This had become increasingly apparent to me over the past month or so as the Spanish prepared themselves for the forthcoming local and regional elections in Spain (due to be held on the 22^nd May).

However, political matters have accelerated considerably over the past couple of days with the development of a movement that is exploding across Spain variously called the ‘Indignados’ (the ‘Indignant’), ‘Van Por Nosotros’ (‘Go With Us’) or simply 15M (‘Movement Of The 15^th May’).  So powerful has this movement become that over the last twenty four hours some people are even calling it (rather precipitively) the Spanish Revolution!

In fact, the Indignado movement possibly began about a month ago and was then appropriately called ‘No Les Votes’ (‘Don’t Vote for them’) – given that the movement’s primary call to action is to suggest that people do not vote for existing politicians (of whatever political persuasion).

In any event, the Indignado movement burst onto the Spanish political scenery on the 15^th May by staging an on-going demonstration at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid.  The Puerta del Sol, of course, is the nominal ‘centre’ of Spain and thereby a place of considerable importance in Spanish consciousness.  In effect, it is like Times Square in New York or Trafalgar Square in the London.

Since then the Indignado demonstrations have spread to something like 57 different Spanish cities and towns and appears to be expanding exponentially.

The remarkable thing about this movement and the current demonstrations in Spain is that they have not been initiated by any existing political party.  Indeed, the ‘Indignado’ ‘movement’ seems to be a genuinely spontaneous demonstration with the ‘word’ being spread very effectively via Social Media (i.e.Twitter and Facebook).

What makes the Indignado movement important and potentially significant politically is the groundswell of support that the Indignados have from a cross-section of the Spanish population – old and young, employed and jobless alike.  Indeed, it would be a major error to think that this was no more than a disgruntled students movement.

But what are the Indignados saying, you may ask?  What is their problem?

Well, the Indignados believe that politics in Spain is simply not working.  They feel that Spanish politicians are corrupt and self serving and do not care for the population – and most particularly for those five million people in Spain who have no work.

The Indignados feel that the current system whereby power inevitably resides in one of the two national political parties (the socialist PSOE or conservative PP) means that no real choices exist.  They feel that both parties are as bad as each other and that both are replete with untrustworthy politicians unworthy of exercising power.

Indeed, a common refrain that I have heard about Spanish politicians is, typically, that they always ‘promise one thing – and then do something quite different, normally to suit themselves…’

In short, the Indignados are protesting against the way that democracy in Spain is working.  This, you must not confuse with opposition to democracy in Spain.  As yet, I have heard no-one question the fact that Spain should be a democracy which, in the past 33 years, has become deeply embedded within the culture of Spain.

Unfortunately, whilst democracy in Spain is deeply embedded – so also is endemic corruption.  It is an intrinsic part of life in Spain and penetrates every part of society from the lowest to the highest levels and takes the form both of money and ‘favours’.  It is certainly not the sole preserve of politicians although they seem to have taken blatant corruption to a ‘state of the art’!

The trouble is that Spain is in an economic crisis of epic proportions with 21.3% (Spanish government figures) of the Spanish population out of work.  In fact, the Spanish government figures are probably very conservative.  Meanwhile, there is a gathering recognition in Spain that there is no ‘quick fix’ to the the ruined economy, with the mass creation of new jobs, in the near term, an impossibility.

So, many Spaniards are frightened.

This was well stated in a recent copy of Levante (quality Spanish newspaper), which said that many people have a future ‘hidden by clouds of uncertainty’ and young people ‘don’t know where they are going to be in the coming years’.

Certainly, many Spaniards (with justice) feel let down by the political establishment, apoplectic about the banks (and their bailout) and lack any confidence in the existing political parties and Spanish politicians to solve the current economic problems.

A few days ago the ‘idea’ of the Indignados could probably have been summed up by saying that they wanted to ‘regenerate democracy and increase participation in political life’.  However, this seems somewhat contrived and it is doubtful that this mass, spontaneous movement has a clear agenda (as yet).

Primarily, the current demonstrations in Spain are a Protest (with a capital ‘P’) and one driven by sheer frustration and anger at the consequences of Spain’s economic collapse.  It is highly unlikely that these protests in Spain (and any thought of a ‘Spanish Revolution’) would have occurred had the economic boom continued.

Certainly, political corruption in Spain and the behaviour of individual Spanish politicians has not altered since the ‘glory’ days of the economic boom. There was corruption (moral and financial) then – as now.  The difference is that the same corruption has become unacceptable because of today’s economic hardship and the lack of any clear solution.

Undoubtedly, the Indignados have widespread support and this is what must be worrying the political establishment.  As a Spanish friend (late forties and working) said to me, yesterday: ‘Everyone – everyone – knows of someone out of work and no-one believes that our corrupt politicians either care or know a way out of our problems.’

Will the Indignados affect the forthcoming elections in Spain?

Almost certainly.

But what about democracy in Spain – and the nature of politics in Spain?

Well, much will depend upon the coherence and durability of the Indignados and their capacity to keep the protests in Spain going beyond the elections on Sunday…

Nick Snelling – Culture Spain

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