Two million demonstrators in Spain demand an end to austerity

Published on Wednesday, 02 April 2014 14:37

“The «Marches for Dignity» are the collective response of the Spanish people against the policies of austerity that have destroyed their country,” stated the leader of SYRIZA and candidate of the European Left for presidency of the European Commission, Alexis Tsipras, regarding the unprecedented mass mobilization of the Spanish people on March 22.

“The struggle of the Spanish people is common to us all: for the Greek, Portuguese and Cypriot people seeking to regain their national sovereignty, and for the lives and dignity of citizens regardless of where they may live-in the North or the South, in the East or the West. It is our collective struggle for democracy and prosperity throughout Europe,” Tsipras continues, highlighting the European dimension of the demonstrations in Madrid.

The United Left (Izquierda Unida) expressed its "full support" for the «Marches for Dignity,»marching with the protesters, as did the European Left (EL ), whose members were also was present at the demonstration on Saturday in Madrid. The latter congratulated the organizers for successfully organizing a peaceful mass mobilization, “which united workers, the unemployed, underemployed workers, and people who had lost their homes and who walked thousands of kilometers to have their voices heard in Madrid.”

Chanting the slogan, “bread, work and housing for all,” nearly 2 million people marched to the center of Madrid. The demonstration, which took place on March 22, 2014, was a culmination of many “Marches for Dignity” (Marchas de la Dignidad) across Spain.The demonstrations, which were unprecedented in size and energy, may prove to be the catalyst to force the political agenda of Spain in a new direction—one that centers on people, not special interests. The main protest banner read: “No to paying off the debt. The Troika governments must go. No more cutbacks on bread, work and housing for all.”

The ruling People’s Party, has attempted to delegitimize the justifiable frustration of the demonstrators, claiming the demonstrators are ignoring Spain’s international obligations. However, the People’s Party is ignoring its national obligations--and the reality faced by the Spanish people: in 2013

unemployment rose to 26%--that number being close to 55% for youth; 40,000 Spaniards emigrated in; and there were nearly 20,000 evictions.

The current demonstrations have grown out of the mass protest movement of “Los Indignados” (the “Outraged”), which began several years ago in Spain—and are considered the “birth” of the “Occupy Movement.” Mounting numbers of suicides due to economic hardship, and specifically to evictions and bank foreclosures on people’s homes, the “Los Indignados” movement was a response to the government running the economy for the benefit of the banks and not the people—something that continues today.

The “Marches for Dignity” build on the energy of “Los Indignados,” as people mobilize against the People’s Party and against privatization and austerity. As pointed out by Alexis Tsipras in his recent statement, “Millions have joined to protest against ballooning unemployment, bank foreclosures on their homes, pension cuts, shrinking benefits and the privatization of state assests, which serve business interests only and deprive the state of revenue. The protesters are united against the politicians and their policies that are responsible for decimating social cohesion across Europe.”

These grassroots movements, taking place in Spain and across Europe, can ultimately force political change. Expressing his support for the “Marches of Dignity,” Alexis Tsipras stated, “The policies currently in place can and must change: the will of the voters is the only way to bring a decisive end to austerity, once and for all.”