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Peaceful protests in Palma ahead of Sunday's elections
A series of peaceful protests have taken place this week across Spain in advance of Sunday's local and regional elections. Spanish citizens, disenchanted by high levels of unemployment and austerity measures, have gathered to call for ‘real democracy' and are urging voters not to vote for the two key parties.
The campaign, co-ordinated via Facebook and Twitter, began on Sunday and has since gathered pace. Young protesters have camped out in dozens of Spanish cities calling open assemblies each day. In Palma around 500 people attended the latest debate in the Plaça d'Espanya, with over 100 camping out overnight. In Madrid the number gathering to support the protesters exceeded 10,000.
The countries electoral authorities have now deemed the protests illegal, claiming they contravene Spain's election laws which ban campaigning the day before a vote. They have asked the government to dissolve the protests. In Palma the protesters will take a vote later today to decide whether they remain for another night in spite of the recent ruling.
