2011–12 Spanish protests

The protests in Spain 2011/2012 are spontaneous, party remote demonstrations, criticizing the social, economic and political grievances. Spanish media label these Movimiento 15-M (, motion May 15 ') or Indignados (' Indignant '), some international media as the " Spanish revolution ". They organized themselves in large part in social networks and are closely associated with the political movement ¡ Democracia Real Ya! (, Real Democracy Now! ').

Development

The nationwide protests began on May 15, 2011, with a call in 58 Spanish cities. They received support from mid-May over 200 associations, the end of May, the number grew to about 500 initiatives. As of May 18, several mass demonstrations were under the slogan " ¡ Democracia real ya! " Held and built nationwide protest camps. The " May 15 Movement " also manifested itself in late May as a serious political force. Own structures outside of the internet, where the campaign took its origin, have already been built.

On May 27, police in the attempted eviction of Plaça de Catalunya in Barcelona for the first time violently with batons and rubber bullets against demonstrators, which was officially justified, the court should be vacated for cleaning staff. Police beat on seated protesters. There were more than 120 injured.

On May 29, the hitherto very diffuse movement announced that they would organize future decentralized. It was also clarified on 30 May 2011 that one as Movimiento 15-M, although the campaign ¡ Democracia real ya! connected sees both movements are not to be confused. "We are like brothers," explained the movements. While Movimiento 15-M penetrated in many neighborhoods and communities of Spain, planned the campaign ¡ Democracia real ya! To make (DRY), a global mobilization to October 15, 2011 attention to the democratic deficit.

On some great courses in Spain on May 30 public citizen forums had been established, in which discussed and voted on the common goals of the movement.

On 7 June 2011, the activists decided in Madrid to lift the ongoing since May 15 permanent occupation of the Puerta del Sol on June 12, which was done. Even the occupation of public spaces in other major cities was completed while stocks continued occupations in Barcelona and other places. The movement was thus not completed, it was said that the requirements would be maintained.

On 19 June 2011, there were again demonstrations in more than 80 Spanish cities. Alone in Madrid demonstrated hundreds of thousands of people against the economic and monetary policy of the European Union. The movement ¡ Democracia Real Ya! subsequently confirmed for October 15 planned worldwide protests. The protests are held every year since 2011. At the protest marches on the anniversary in 2014, six protest march groups from diverse Spanish regions involved, as well as 29 demonstration trains from different parts of Madrid.

Causes and background of the protest movement

The origin of the demonstrators is heterogeneous and their political views are not attributable to a particular political camp. You feel the ruling two-party system of the Partido Popular (PP ) and the Partido Socialista Obrero Español ( PSOE ) is not represented. In particular, it is criticized that for the regional elections of 22 May on the lists of both parties competed numerous politicians, who were accused of corruption and partly convicted. In the criticism of the government are also dealing with the financial crisis and high unemployment, especially among well-qualified young Spaniards ( Generación Cero or Generación ni -ni ).

The aim of the protesters is a change in Spanish politics and society. In addition to the end of the corruption they demand an improvement in the situation of young people, according to their manifesto in particular by respecting the basic rights to housing, employment, culture, health, education, political participation, free development of the personality and the right to secure the basic needs.

There have excelled so far no spokesman. The movement went from Madrid, but it has spread all over the country and there can be no leading center are identified. So there is no single manifesto, but several that were decided in different cities. The protest movement has so far remained non-violent.

The protests have been influenced by the events of the Arab Spring, as well as by the protests in Greece and Iceland in 2008. Moreover, they assume ( in the self-designation Indignados (' Indignant ')) regarding the Book of outrage! of the French Resistance fighter Stéphane Hessel, that calls for resistance against finance capitalism.

The assertion that the movement had arisen in the social networks, was pointed out by the sociologist César Rendueles, this view devalues ​​the political nature of the protests. This interpretation of the development is not accurate in the Arab world, where only a comparatively small part of the population have ever access the Internet. It should also be connected so that the claim that the advanced Western technology enhances our backward Islamic societies to democracy. Both in the Arab world as well as in Spain, the protests went back ultimately to communitarian structures, without further communication in the social networks themselves could not have developed.

Political reactions

Due to the upcoming local and regional elections on May 22, the protests for May 21 have been banned by the 13-member Electoral Commission with respect to a law which prohibits the election events on the day before the election. The decision was reached by one vote. The peaceful protests that day were tolerated by the government and police anyway.

The demonstrations provoked reactions of the major political parties, the published opinions after deliberations on May 16. On May 15, the first day of demonstrations, wanted all parties to be quoted on the situation. Jaime Mayor Oreja, Member of the European Parliament ( PP), criticized the protesters imputed intention not to deliver votes in the upcoming elections, as well as the Minister for Infrastructure Funding, José Blanco López ( PSOE). The Izquierda Unida ( United Left ') showed a positive view of the demands of the demonstrators, but admitted not being able to communicate with them. The party member Cayo Lara defended the refusal of the protesters to surrender to their fate as the "lost generation," and criticized the ban on demonstrations on May 16. Although other politicians such as José Antonio Griñán showed sympathy for the protests, but insisted that not voting is not the solution. Esteban González Pons, Vice General Secretary of the PP, joined the demonstrations with "system hostile left-wing extremists ."

The former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González compared forth the protests that he was "a particularly important phenomenon " einschätzte than with those in the Arab countries and lifted that "they [ the protesters ] to demand the right to vote in the Arab world, as they say here that elections are pointless ".

The protests have led Spain to a discussion of early elections. On 29 July 2011 Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (PSOE ) announced in response to the uncertain economic situation, new elections for November 2011. Whether a connection to the protests there, is unclear.

International reaction

A transfer of the movement thought together with the mobilization strategy applied in Spain can be observed in other countries in Europe. In Greece, organized the " Indignant of Syntagma Square " from 27 May demonstrations with thousands of participants. After the Spanish model, a tent city was erected in Athens.

In Portugal was formed since the 12th March, a protest movement called M12M ( Movimento 12 de Março ). On May 25, the protest movement held a major demonstration from Lisbon.

In Paris, held a solidarity rally on May 29, 2011. The event was attended by about 5000 people.

Coinciding with the spain -wide rallies on 19 June it was in many other European and some American states to solidarity rallies.

On the Alexanderplatz in Berlin, a camp was held from August 20, 2011, which was repeated cleared by the police. The partly violent crackdown by officials was criticized. After about a week the camp was abandoned, regular demonstrations instead were announced.

As a universal idea of the protests is to be observed that especially the younger part of the activists referred to themselves as the "lost generation ". In particular, the impact of the financial crisis and in many parts of Europe often bleak future prospects of the generation of 20 - to 30 -year-olds are perceived as no longer tolerable evil. The mostly young activists who are at the center of the movement, it received support from broad sections of society.

The Occupy movement refers to the Spanish protests and has taken one of its organizational structures with the Asamblea.

Demonstrations on the anniversary in 2012

On the first anniversary of the start of protests, the May 12, 2012 in several Spanish cities to rallies. In the center of Madrid, the Puerta del Sol, in spite of the request by the police to clear the square until midnight, occupied by several thousand people. At least 45,000 demonstrators were estimated in Barcelona. Also in London, Frankfurt and Tel Aviv there were Occupy protests.

There were as previously held in meetings, but agreed this time in a temporary frame and with the purpose of concrete practices that had been developed by the various commissions in recent months. So it was, for example, to publish a " Plan de Rescate Ciudadano " ( "Citizens Rescue Plan"), which underpins the requirements with alternative solutions to the economic crisis. The plan takes a critical reference to previous, unpopular bank bailouts, which are contrary to the severe cuts in social spending. The five key points are:

• " Not one euro more for bank bailouts "
• " Comprehensive, public, free and adequate education and health "
• "Against the expansion of precarious labor market. Distribution of wealth "
• " For guaranteed, würderespektierende living conditions "
• "Transparency, network democracy and civil liberties "

The five demands of the civil rescue plan are inspired by the example of the Icelandic Revolution 2008-2009, the five core demands were also decided and served as a guide of the protests.