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| Eurozone crisis live: Spanish general strike kicks off | Eurozone crisis live: Spanish general strike kicks off |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| 8.36am: Giles Tremlett, our correspondent in Madrid, tells me that it is impossible to say at this stage how 'successful' the Spanish general strike is. But two key indicators suggest there is more support than at a similar event 18 months ago. | |
| Giles writes: | |
The first is that electricity consumption is down by more than 20% – proof that things are slowing down around the country. | |
| The other is that unions say more people have stopped work this morning than in September 2010, when the socialist administration of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero had to cope with a similar strike. | |
| Zapatero himself considered that strike a crucial moment in the dramatic fall in popular support for his socialists, who were ousted at a general election a year later. | |
| Given that regional elections in southern Andalucia at the weekend saw a fall in votes for current prime minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative People's party (PP), it is safe to say that we have reached a turning point in support for the government as it celebrates 100 days in power. | |
| Tomorrow's budget, expected to be one of the fiercest seen in austerity Europe, will mark the end of his toughest week in power. | |
| 8.31am: El Pais also reports that Esperanza Aguirre, Spain minister for education and culture, has denounced attempts on social networks to create public disorder today [a comment which reminds us of last summer's riots in the UK] | |
| 8.21am: According to El Pais, there have been 58 arrests so far in Spain, with seven policeman injured (my colleague James Gard reports). | |
| Electricity demand is reportedly down a quarter on a normal working day. Nissan and Seat car factories in Catalonia are locked down. Student protestors have blocked one of the main roads into Madrid, the A6, causing a big traffic jam (click on the link below to see). | |
| Así está la entrada a Madrid por la A-6. Los estudiantes han bloqueado el acceso a Moncloa. #yohagohuelga twitpic.com/92pwge | |
| — Comisiones Obreras (@ccoo) March 29, 2012 | |
| 8.15am: The Spanish general strike comes just a day before prime minister Mariano Rajoy announces a new austerity budget. | |
| As my colleague Giles Tremlett reported a few days ago, Rajoy must announce up to up to €40bn (£33.45bn) of spending cuts and taxes, three months after his victory in a general election last November. | |
| Rajoy has also angered labour groups by introducing new legislation that makes it easier for companies to lay people off, cut wages and modify other employment conditions. This has led unions to predict enthusiastic support for today's action. | |
| Ignacio Fernandez Toxo, head of the CCOO union, declared: | |
| The people will say whether they are resigned to accepting the reforms. | |
| Finance minister Cristobal Montoro, though, insists the Spanish government will not be forced into changing its plans. Montoro said: | |
| The question here is not whether the strike is honoured by many or few but rather whether we get out of the crisis. | |
| More details here. | |
| 7.57am: And in Valencia (as in Malaga, see 7.56am) strikers also blocked the entrance to the main wholesale market (called Mercavalencia). | 7.57am: And in Valencia (as in Malaga, see 7.56am) strikers also blocked the entrance to the main wholesale market (called Mercavalencia). |
| According to local reports, hundreds of members of the UGC, CCOO and CGT labor unions, blocked the entrance, and managed to prevent trucks entering the site. | According to local reports, hundreds of members of the UGC, CCOO and CGT labor unions, blocked the entrance, and managed to prevent trucks entering the site. |
| 7.56am: In Malaga, union members picketed outside the entrance to the city's main food warehouse, called "MercaMalaga". | 7.56am: In Malaga, union members picketed outside the entrance to the city's main food warehouse, called "MercaMalaga". |
| 7.48am: Here's another picture from outside Madrid's urban bus depot: | 7.48am: Here's another picture from outside Madrid's urban bus depot: |
| It was taken before dawn today, and shows a demonstrator shouting a slogan while a policeman stands by. | It was taken before dawn today, and shows a demonstrator shouting a slogan while a policeman stands by. |
| 7.46am: In Madrid, several people have been detained by police in riot gear, after demonstrators tried to stop an urban bus leaving for work. | 7.46am: In Madrid, several people have been detained by police in riot gear, after demonstrators tried to stop an urban bus leaving for work. |
| Here's a picture from the scene. | Here's a picture from the scene. |
| 7.41am: Here's today's agenda: | 7.41am: Here's today's agenda: |
| • General strike in Spain: all day • Informal talks in Copenhagen ahead of Friday's EU finance ministers meeting: all day • German unemployment: 8.55am BST / 9.55am CET • UK mortgage approvals/consumer credit data: 9.30am GMT • Eurozone consumer/industrial/business/services confidence: 10am BST / 11am CET • US GDP for Q4 2011: 1.30pm BST / 8.30am EST | • General strike in Spain: all day • Informal talks in Copenhagen ahead of Friday's EU finance ministers meeting: all day • German unemployment: 8.55am BST / 9.55am CET • UK mortgage approvals/consumer credit data: 9.30am GMT • Eurozone consumer/industrial/business/services confidence: 10am BST / 11am CET • US GDP for Q4 2011: 1.30pm BST / 8.30am EST |
| 7.35am: Good morning, and welcome to another day of rolling coverage of the eurozone debt crisis. | 7.35am: Good morning, and welcome to another day of rolling coverage of the eurozone debt crisis. |
| Today the focus is on Spain, where a general strike has begun. Unions have called the industrial action in protest against the economic reforms, and austerity measures, being introduced by its new centre-right government. | Today the focus is on Spain, where a general strike has begun. Unions have called the industrial action in protest against the economic reforms, and austerity measures, being introduced by its new centre-right government. |
| The general strike is seen as a big test for prime minister Mariano Rajoy. Three months after sweeping to power, does he still command the support of the public? | The general strike is seen as a big test for prime minister Mariano Rajoy. Three months after sweeping to power, does he still command the support of the public? |
| There have already been clashes between demonstrators and police in Madrid and Malaga. There's likely to be disruption throughout the day, with marches taking place this evening. | There have already been clashes between demonstrators and police in Madrid and Malaga. There's likely to be disruption throughout the day, with marches taking place this evening. |
| The strike comes as EU finance ministers and officials head to Copenhagen for the start of crunch talks over the eurozone crisis, and the issue of the European firewall. | The strike comes as EU finance ministers and officials head to Copenhagen for the start of crunch talks over the eurozone crisis, and the issue of the European firewall. |
| On the economic front, we have German unemployment and eurozone consumer confidence coming up, plus a new estimate for US GDP for the final three months of 2011. Busy day ahead.... | On the economic front, we have German unemployment and eurozone consumer confidence coming up, plus a new estimate for US GDP for the final three months of 2011. Busy day ahead.... |