In the May 26 European elections, Spanish social democratic party PSOE made gains, largely at the expense of the left wing Podemos. The PSOE delegation is now the largest S&D presence in the European parliament and will be the backbone of ongoing attempts to break the back of the Catalan sovereignty movement, writes Dick Nichols.
Spain
The PSOE鈥檚 election campaign against Spain's radical local councils portrays them as 鈥渁mateurs鈥 and 鈥渄ay-dreamers鈥 who 鈥渨aste precious public resources on failed experiments鈥, writes Dick Nichols.
The electoral defeat of the right in Spain on April 28 is a cause for celebration for all progressive people, writes Dick Nichols.
On February 12, the trial of 12 Catalan politicians and social movement leaders involved in the October 1, 2017 independence referendum is set to begin in the Spanish Supreme Court.
The leaders face sanctions as harsh as 25 year鈥檚 jail for their alleged offences 鈥 rebellion, sedition and embezzlement of public funds.
On February 15, 2003, in the face of the looming US-led war against Iraq鈥檚 Saddam Hussein, the Spanish state saw the biggest demonstrations in its history. Part of an immense worldwide anti-war outpouring, about 4 million people turned out.
Leaders of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) were among those at the head of these oceanic demonstrations, which directly targeted the conservative Spanish People鈥檚 Party (PP) government of then-prime minister Jos茅 Mar铆a Aznar.
In regional elections in Andalusia on December 2, the outgoing government of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) was defeated after 40 years in power. Defeat came at the hands of a fractured yet radicalising right and high levels of abstention on the left.
On the northern outskirts of Barcelona, on La Rambla de Carmel, stands one of the most visually striking and symbolic monuments to the volunteers of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade of the International Brigades.
鈥淒avid and Goliath鈥, designed by US sculptor Roy Shifrin and first unveiled in 1988, was the most prominent gathering point for the 80th anniversary of the departure of the International Brigades 鈥 anti-fascists who had come from around the world to fight against Francisco Franco鈥檚 forces 鈥 from Barcelona on October 28.
In recent weeks, senior judges in the loftiest halls of the Spanish legal system 鈥 the Supreme Court, the National High Court and the Constitutional Court 鈥 have been exposed as subverters of a fair legal process, lackeys of Spain鈥檚 almighty banking elite and bumbling incompetents, writes Dick Nichols from Barcelona.
Last December 21, Catalonia鈥檚 three parliamentary forces supporting independence 鈥 Together for Catalonia (JxCat), the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) and Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) 鈥 won a 70-65 seat majority in the 135-seat Catalan parliament.
Six months of drawn-out negotiations over forming a pro-independence government then followed.
A march of almost 200,000 people in Barcelona on October 1 marked the first anniversary of Catalonia鈥檚 independence referendum.
Pro-independence Catalans commemorated the first anniversary of the banned vote, which had to defy heavy repression as the Spanish state sought to stop it taking place. Despite a brutal crackdown by the Spanish police that left 900 people injured, most who voted backed independence.
More than 1 million people marched in Barcelona on September 11 in support of Catalonia鈥檚 struggle for independence from the Spanish state. The day is marked each year as Catalonia鈥檚 national day, commemorating Barcelona's capture by Bourbon forces in 1714 during the War of Spanish Succession.
This year鈥檚 march also demanded the release of pro-independence political prisoners, who have been jailed for their role in last year鈥檚 independence referendum.
At the June 8 ceremonial handing over of portfolio briefcases from outgoing conservative People鈥檚 Party (PP) ministers to their incoming Spanish Socialist Workers鈥 Party (PSOE) replacements, the contrasts were dramatic.
A bunch of reactionary lifetime political operators and religious obscurantists were replaced by what new Prime Minister Pedro S谩nchez boasted was the 鈥減rogressive鈥, 鈥渇eminist鈥 and 鈥淓uropeanist鈥 alternative.
- Previous page
- Page 4
- Next page