They toughed out heavy rainfall on their flimsy tarpaulin roofs, they defied the electoral authorities’ prohibitions of their demonstrations, they even stole the limelight from Spain’s campaigning politicians, but can the 15-M movement survive and make a difference? Many – probably most – of the hundreds of protesters camped out at Puerta del Sol, and also those demonstrating in the centres of other Spanish cities, are educated twenty-somethings, a common profile of those who vote for the governing Socialists or the United Left. But radical, or even moderate, politics is not what is fuelling this movement; instead, economics and disenfranchisement are. “What is driving this is the … [Read more...] about 15-M: Spain’s lost generation finds a voice
Banality and pragmatism on Spain’s campaign trail
There's little room for doubt now that the May 22 regional and municipal elections will mark a hugely significant change for Spain’s political map. The Popular Party (PP) is heading for an overwhelming victory, as underlined by the latest poll published by Metroscopia. The pollster points to major gains across the country for the conservatives, but the fact they now look poised to take traditional Socialist strongholds such as Seville and Castilla-La Mancha is the most striking development. Given that such enormous changes are afoot, it is strange –and frustrating– that this election campaign has not been more compelling. Instead of seeing the Socialists dig deep to fight for their … [Read more...] about Banality and pragmatism on Spain’s campaign trail
Spanish TV journalism’s identity crisis
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero visits the Canary Islands and the sound of onlookers booing him is edited out of the evening news; the prime minister and opposition leader Mariano Rajoy both speak on the same issue, yet Zapatero gets half a minute more TV coverage; Popular Party (PP) number two María Dolores de Cospedal gets interrogated on a breakfast-time show over her party's attacks on the public broadcaster. It's quite clear, isn’t it? Televisión Española is a puppet of the Socialist government. At least, that’s what the PP is alleging. The party charges that the public broadcaster, which Zapatero pledged to depoliticise and free of government intervention, is more susceptible to … [Read more...] about Spanish TV journalism’s identity crisis
Common sense prevails as Bildu is allowed to run in elections
Just as the campaign leading up to the May 22 local elections was starting, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled on Friday that the Bildu Basque nationalist coalition should be allowed to take part. A vote of six votes to five reflects the intense political pressure surrounding this landmark vote. While there will inevitably be outraged voices in Madrid, the ruling is an encouraging sign that Spain’s highly politicised courts can take tough decisions based on the evidence before them, rather than vague suspicions that ETA terrorists must be at work behind the scenes. The izquierda abertzale, the pro-independence Basque left, has made substantial moves to prove its own democratic … [Read more...] about Common sense prevails as Bildu is allowed to run in elections
Floyd Patterson’s Spanish adventure
It’s not often that Spain is associated with boxing, particularly heavyweight boxing. The country has no tradition of producing top-flight fighters and some media do not cover the sport on principle. You certainly wouldn’t expect heavyweight great Floyd Patterson to have spent any time in Spain. But he did, under strange circumstances. In 1962, Sonny Liston fought title-holder Patterson for the world heavyweight belt. Despite his prowess in the ring, Patterson, a deeply insecure man, always kept a disguise in his fight bag in case he should lose and need to escape the venue incognito. Two minutes and six seconds into the Chicago fight, Liston had knocked the champ down and he didn’t … [Read more...] about Floyd Patterson’s Spanish adventure
Barça must cut theatrics if they want to go down in history
There are plenty of skills young players learn at Barcelona’s La Masia youth centre, and which are then refined at senior level at the club. Tight, triangular passing; quick movement off the ball into space; keeping possession of the ball; respect for the great institution they are a part of. And, you might add, after Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal first leg against Real Madrid: writhing on the floor like a hammy actor when tackled by an opponent; clutching their face when a rival’s hand goes anywhere near their upper body; and generally doing everything possible to get the other team’s players booked or sent off. This is the contradiction that Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side … [Read more...] about Barça must cut theatrics if they want to go down in history
Who cares about corruption anyway?
With the May 22 local elections looming, we now know the content of political parties’ electoral lists. El País’ assertion that over 100 of the candidates on those lists are under investigation for alleged corruption may be shocking, but it’s hardly surprising. There a several main reasons for the enormous wave of political corruption in Spain in recent years, which I explored in an article last year: the mad money generated by the real estate bubble; the country’s system of autonomous regions, where local politicians can hoard power; a laissez-faire attitude on the part of many voters, who refuse to punish their corrupt representatives; and a media that rarely indulges in profound … [Read more...] about Who cares about corruption anyway?
A bitter celebration as Portugal remembers the Carnation Revolution
Thirty-seven years ago today, a swell of disenchantment with the Portuguese government of Marcello Caetano, a continuation of the regime of long-time dictator António Salazar, prompted a group of army officers to lead a coup. Word spread, resistance was virtually non-existent and in the space of a few non-violent hours, the regime was on the verge of being ousted. The putsch culminated in a strange scenario in which Caetano locked himself inside the National Republican Guard building in Lisbon’s Carmo Square as a massive crowd – including armed soldiers and curious men, women and children from the neighbourhood – gathered to watch. After several hours, Caetano gave in and signed a … [Read more...] about A bitter celebration as Portugal remembers the Carnation Revolution
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Orwell and the evil conspiracy
Let’s forget, for the moment, the fact that Real Madrid and Barcelona had an absorbing 1-1 draw in their liga meeting on Saturday. Instead, let’s look inside the heads of two of the night’s protagonists: Barça midfielder Xavi Hernández and Real Madrid coach José Mourinho. “Everyone could see that Barça were the better team, that we totally dominated. Although that’s not so great given that it was them that gave us the ball and them that shut down at the back in their own stadium.” This was the verdict of Xavi after the game. He had a point in that Barcelona did dominate possession, during one phase enjoying 79 percent of it (according La Sexta television’s onslaught of statistics). … [Read more...] about Real Madrid, Barcelona, Orwell and the evil conspiracy
Everything’s at stake in Real Madrid and Barcelona’s quadruple clásico
Eighteen days, four games and the spoils of almost an entire season to be fought over. Barcelona and Real Madrid usually play each other twice over the course of a season, in their home and away liga fixtures. But due to a combination of luck and their own good form, the biggest rivalry in European football, with all its sporting, cultural and political undercurrents, will be played out four times in just over two weeks, between April 16 and May 3. There’s so much at stake and yet each encounter is loaded with slightly different significance. Of the three titles that these four games – a league match, the King’s Cup final and a two-legged Champions League semifinal – represent, the league … [Read more...] about Everything’s at stake in Real Madrid and Barcelona’s quadruple clásico