• Party says format aims to get voters to actually read its economic programme
• Projection includes 25 billion euro tax hikes, 60 billion jump in gov’t spending
In yet another example of its signature marketing brilliance, Spain’s populist, anti-austerity party Podemos (We Can) on Wednesday presented its 26th June (26-J) general election economic programme in an IKEA-style catalogue format that has captured the the attention of virtually all Spain’s national media outlets.
The glossy Podemos-IKEA catalog, which goes on sale at the price of 1.80 euros in the run-up to the 26-J elections, features photos of party leaders posed in cheery home-lifestyle environments that in keeping with IKEA style predominate over the fine-print product specifications, which include tax increases totaling 25 billion euros, a 60-billion euro hike in government spending and outright rejection of EU demands for control of Spain’s public sector deficit.
Also claiming to be able to increase the current 2.5 percent annual growth rate of Spain’s economy to 3.5 percent and to create 20 million new jobs by 2019, the economic programme a la IKEA was presented as part of the general election campaign platform of Podemos — curiously not of the Unidos Podemos (United We Can) electoral coalition it shares with Izquierda Unida (IU, United Left) and nearly 20 other parties and movements and with which it would have to implement the economic programme after the 26-J elections.
► Read More in Spanish at La Vanguardia, El Mundo and El País …
► Read More in English at and El País …
