Tens of thousands march to support Spanish anti-austerity party

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid on Saturday in support of new anti-austerity party Podemos, a week after Greece elected its hard-left ally Syriza. With the party topping opinion polls in the run up to elections later this year, protesters chanted “Yes we can!” as they made their way from Madrid city hall to the central Puerta del Sol square. Many waved blue and white Greek flags and red and white Syriza flags or held signs reading “The change is now” and “Together we can”. Podemos, which means “We Can”, was formed just a year ago, but produced a major shock by winning five seats in elections for the European Parliament in May.

The wind of change is starting to blow in Europe. We dream but we take our dream seriously. More has been done in Greece in six days than many governments did in years.

Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, repeating in both Greek and Spanish at the start of his address to the crowd at the end of the march

Syriza beat mainstream Greek parties by pledging to end austerity and corruption, as Podemos aims to do in Spain’s general election due in November. Iglesias, a 36-year-old pony-tailed former university professor, appeared alongside Syriza’s Alexis Tsipras, now Greece’s prime minister, to publicly support him during his campaign. Podemos wants to prevent profitable companies from firing people, promote a fully state-controlled health care system and enact a “significant” minimum-wage hike.

Politics Podemos