Why are protesting in Spain

The reason for mass strikes and rallies in Spain was the country’s dire economic situation. The state of production was expressed in the figure of 8.9% – such was the deficit of domestic gross product (GDP) in the year ended. The country has the highest unemployment rate in Europe – at the beginning of the year it was 21%, and by the summer rose to 24%. Economic problems led to the ruling party’s electoral defeat and a change of government. Spain’s new prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, introduced a budget to parliament in the spring, in which brutal austerity measures are laid. In the process of its implementation, workers and employees in state-supported industries – mining, health care, education, etc.

Of course, such measures could not help but trigger protests, which have been taking place in Spain since the beginning of the year in an organized manner, union-led and spontaneous manner. One of the most high-profile actions of this kind – the indefinite strike of miners – has already gone through the stages of natural protests and clashes with police in the north of the country, a multiday march of miners to the capital and a rally, $ which gathered several hundred thousand people in Madrid. The biggest outrage at the beginning of the year was caused by Spaniards that the European Union began financial assistance not from the state sector, but with the support of banks – the stability of the financial structure of ordinary Spaniards cares less, than losing your own job.

Meanwhile, the government is steadfastly continuing its course despite mass protests. The financial situation of the population for the first quarter deteriorated by almost 10% compared to the same period in 2011, and yet in the summer the Prime Minister announced a rise in value-added tax by 3% (up to 21%), a decrease in unemployment benefits, a decrease in traditional Christmas bonuses. There are no prerequisites yet to lower the level of protests in Spain in coming months.