News, March to May 2012

First anniversary of the 15 M protest movement.

On 15th May, 2011, just a week before local elections across Spain, the youth of the country gathered in one of the most fascinating political movements since the establishment of democracy was completed in 1981. Young people began a camp-out in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol, to complain about their being side-lined by mainstream politics. With youth unemployment then running well above 40% - now 50%- young people felt that the parties were bankrupt on ideas to get Spain back to work. Protest spread quickly from Madrid to the centres of all major cities and lasted throughout the summer. Then, as students returned to University, the movement went local, abandoning the city centres and heading for where the young people live.

To all outsiders it soon appeared to have disappeared. However, its leaders claim they have begun to propose solutions to some of the problems they most vehemently complained of. It will be interesting to see how the main political parties, now relieved of immediate needs to win elections, will begin to take Spain's new youth movement seriously. The same question should perhaps also be asked of the leadership of Spain's evangelical churches.

Here is an interesting article from Spain's leading socialist paper El País.
Another report from El País.
The Guardian gives its opinion.
The Daily Telegraph reports.