Spain

Spain: 80 years on, Madrid remembers the International Brigades

The end of October brought an end to the deadlock within Spanish congress with the re-election of Mariano Rajoy of the Popular Party (PP) as prime minister with the support of the neoliberal Citizens and the abstention of the traditional social democratic Spanish Socialist Workers鈥 Party (PSOE).

But while the political and economic elites breathed a temporary sigh of relief in Madrid and Brussels, almost 100,000 opponents of the new right-wing government gathered to protest in Puerta del Sol, in the heart of the capital.

Spain: Left strengthens in Podemos internal vote

Spanish anti-austerity party Podemos held a series of internal elections over November 7鈥9 throughout seven regions across Spain 聽鈥 Madrid, Andalusia, Extremadura, La Rioja, Castilla y Leon, Navarra y Arag贸n 鈥 and 12 different cities.

The elections were centred around the positions of the general secretaries in each region and territory, as well as the Autonomous Citizens鈥 Councils that form an integral part of the relatively new party鈥檚 political direction and organisation.

Installing a right-wing government, Spain's PSOE deepens its own crisis

In the end, on October 29, it all worked out rather well for Mariano Rajoy. After patiently implementing his motto that 鈥渁ll things come to he who waits鈥, the leader of the conservative People鈥檚 Party (PP) was that day confirmed as Spain鈥檚 prime minister for a second four-year term.

Normal operations were apparently resumed in the institutions of the Spanish state after 10 months of turmoil arising from the inconclusive general election results of December 20 and June 26.

Stan Hilton, the last British International Brigader who fought fascism in Spain, dies aged 98

Although fit and healthy until near the end of his life, Stan Hilton, the 98-year old veteran of the Spanish Civil War as one of the almost 60,000 International Brigade members who travelled from around the world to join the fight against fascism who passed away on October 21, could no longer recall his four-month adventure in Spain in 1937 and 1938. Thankfully, his son, Gordon, and grandson, Adam, still keep alive the stories and recollections he told them over many years.

Spain: Socialist Party bosses behead leader to allow conservatives to rule

In late September and early October, two big political explosions shook the already unstable foundations of the Spanish state. On September 25, Carles Puigdemont, premier of Catalonia and head of the pro-independence Together For The Yes (JPS) regional government, told the Catalan parliament that the country would decide its political status by September next year through 鈥渁 referendum or a referendum鈥.

Basque elections: Spanish establishment suffers blow

Regional elections took place in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country on September 25, registering an overall rise in support of parties that favour Basque self-determination at the expense of Spanish centralists. At the same time, the combined vote of broad left forces rose.

The elections were meant to decide whether the incumbent centre-right Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) would continue to govern in the Basque Country, an autonomous region in the Spanish state where a long campaign for self-determination has been waged.

Spain: Million-strong rally brings Catalan self-determination showdown closer

By some estimates, more than 1 million people came out across Catalonia on September 11 for Catalonia鈥檚 national day (the Diada) to show their support for Catalan sovereignty and 鈥 for most present 鈥 for Catalan independence from the Spanish state.

People gather against government austerity policies at Lisbon's main square.

Spain and Portugal avoid EU sanctions 鈥 for now

A month ago, on August 8, it became official 鈥 the high school governors agreed that the headmaster had acted correctly in not caning the two miscreant schoolboys.

The schoolboys are Spain and Portugal; their misdemeanour was to keep missing their public sector deficit reduction targets set under the European Union鈥檚 鈥渆xcessive deficit procedure鈥. The headmaster is the European Commission, headed by President Jean-Claude Juncker, and the school governors are the finance and economy ministers of the EU鈥檚 27 member states 鈥 who meet as the Ecofin committee.

Spain: Left knocking at the door

The Spanish and European establishments have just days to stop the advance of the progressive electoral alliance United We Can in the June 26 general elections in the Spanish state. How are they doing? As matters stand, not well. United We Can, formed in early May, brings together new anti-austerity party Podemos and the longer-standing United Left (IU), as well as broader coalitions in Catalonia (Together We Can), Galicia (In Tide) and Valencia (A La Valenciana).

Spain: Can left's economic plan reverse austerity?

United We Can. United We Can 鈥 the united ticket made up of Podemos, the United Left, the green party Equo and three broader alliances in Catalonia, Galicia and the Valencian Country 鈥 is campaigning in the June 26 Spanish general elections on a plan to reverse economic austerity.
Alberto Garzon and Pablo Iglesias

Spain: With Podemos and United Left joining forces, is a left government in sight?

Five months after the December 20 election in Spain failed to produce a government, the country is returning to the polls in the most polarised contest since the end of the Franco dictatorship in 1977.

United Left leader Alberto Garzon and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias.

Spain: Podemos and United Left launch alliance ahead of new vote

Spain's anti-austerity party Podemos and older left-wing party United Left announced on May 9 that they had reached a preliminary agreement to run on a joint platform before Spain's new general election on June 26.