Association looks to crowdfunding to complete survey of ‘energy poverty’ among Spanish public
• An estimated 4 million Spaniards unable to pay heating bills each winter • Researchers seek online funding to determine extent of…
Spain
PSOE leader Sánchez tackles PP’s Rajoy on corruption, social spending cuts during TV debate
• Sánchez goes after Rajoy in bid to close gap in opinion polls • Corruption, social spending cuts dominate harsh tone of…
Final pre-election polls put conservative PP in front, PSOE second, Ciudadanos & Podemos in hot pursuit
• The PP expected to net 25% of the vote, far short of absolute majority • PSOE, Ciudadanos and/or Podemos in coalition…
Rights activists, attorneys, journalists call on European court to overturn Spain’s anti-protest law
• Lawsuit filed over law’s restrictions on free speech and assembly • Fines under Spain’s so-called ‘gag law’ range from 600 to…
Podemos leader says technology, social media increasingly important to democracy in Spain
• Iglesias says younger voters’ use of social media key to Podemos campaign • Investment in renewables could create more than 300,000…
Spanish NGOs seek to raise awareness on fair trade, rights & environment with holiday selfies campaign
• CECJ promotes fair-trade holiday gifts with #MejorconComercioJusto contest • Campaign to highlight value of fair trade, rights & environmental protection A…
Ciudadanos leader stirs backlash with claim longer jail time for men in domestic violence cases unfair
• Citizens’ leader Albert Rivera says men, women should face equal sentences • Party claims extra jail time for aggravated assault is…
Amnesty International says Spain has backtracked on freedoms of expression and assembly for citizens
• AI Spain director says political parties should do more to protect rights • Esteban Beltran says police power expanded, protection of…
Environmental NGO says climate change could snatch quarter of Spain’s water reserves by 2020
• ‘Ecologistas en Acción’ sees possible ‘water collapse’ within 5 years • Less rainfall, high temps & increased irrigation demands at fault,…
Spain’s Ombudswoman warns of human trafficking rings targeting refugee women fleeing to Europe
• ‘Defensora del Pueblo’ said refugee women risk victimization twice over • Soledad Becerril called for ‘more generosity’ from Spain in granting…
Regional coalition strategies may pit Podemos, IU parties against each other in election aftermath
• Podemos & Izquierda Unida in coalition campaigns in Catalonia, Galicia • Parties may face struggle over rules for voting caucus formation…
Gov’t, unions worry about impact of Abengoa bankrupcty on Spanish economy, labour market
• Creditors say solar, wind powerhouse’s debt level exceeds 9 bn euros • Spanish renewables giant employs 7,000 in Spain and 28,000…
Torture, police brutality and abuse on the rise in Spain, says rights-monitoring federation of NGOs
• CDPT federation cites 194 cases, affecting 960 individuals in 2014 • Abuse occurs during police actions against protesters, raids & detention…
Opinion polls indicate no absolute majority in Dec. 20th general elections will force coalition gov’t
• Governing conservative PP will fall far short of absolute majority • PSOE, Ciudadanos neck-and-neck in two surveys, Podemos lagging in fourth…
‘Funding for education, not for religion’: Groups call for secular schools, end to religion in classrooms
• Demands include end to religion courses and 1979 agreement with Vatican • Unions, teachers’ associations join call for ‘Electoral Pledge’ from…
Spain’s slow economic recovery falls 25,000 jobs short of employment levels when Rajoy took office
• November jobless figures show year-on-year improvement • But, numbers still shy of replacing 1.5 mn jobs lost since Rajoy took office…
Parties overcome PP objection, Madrid plaza renamed in memory of LGBT activist Pedro Zerolo
• PSOE, Ahora Madrid & Ciudadanos unite to overcome PP opposition • Zerolo led FELGTB federation during difficult years of Aznar administration…
Spanish PM Rajoy a ‘no-show’ for El País-sponsored televised debate in Dec. 20th general election race
• PSOE, Ciudadanos and Podemos candidates take on issues, each other • Rajoy falted by opponents for absence, PP’s ongoing corruption woes…
Socialists pledge municipal voting rights to all foreign citizens legally resident for five years
• Move would enable some 1.5 million legally resident immigrants to vote • Moroccans, Chinese, Ukrainians & other disenfranchised groups to benefit…
Barcelona rallies to open, close PSOE campaign: ‘We’re the Solution. Let’s Get Rid of Rajoy’
• Party leader Pedro Sánchez to headline national campaign rallies in Barcelona • PSOE-PSC lead candidate Carme Chacón to join in Dec….
British historian John Elliott evaluates Spain’s progress on 40th anniversary of Franco’s death
• Oxford Emeritus Professor lauds Spain’s post-Franco democratic Transition • Authority on Cataluña sees various ‘nations’ within Spanish State as viable British…
Social entrepreneurship program announces nine finalist projects in global ‘H2O Challenge’ program
• Nine global projects selected as finalists in social-impact program • Aguas de Valencia, Pangea, Impact Hub Madrid, IE Business School sponsors…
Homeless campaigners stage flash-mob marches in 50 cities throughout Spain to demand basic services
• Cáritas, other organizations draw attention to homelessness across Spain • Groups demand basic rights, assistance on eve of national ‘Day of…
Spain makes progress on gender violence, as fear persists among women amid ingrained machismo
• Survey finds 91% of women fail to report violence, fearing repercussions • Despite advances, gender- and domestic-violence on the rise, say…
Podemos says it would extend municipal voting rights for EU citizens to Spain’s regional elections
• Left party wants legally resident foreigners to vote in regional balloting • Move would affect citizens of EU, 12 other nations…
#VIDEO: Animal Equality says 1.5 mn chicks die inhumanely each day in Spanish poultry incubators
• Animal-rights group says industry treatment of birds is cruel, unnecessary • Massive, avoidable destruction of animals detailed in report and online…
PSOE leads field with women candidates on Dec. 20 ballot, with 50/50 top-of-list parity in all regions
• Left parties promoting equality in candidates’ lists for general election • All parties lag Socialists in male-female parity at top of…
Spanish anti-war campaigners launch petition, call for peaceful Nov. 28th protests in cities nationwide
• Call for peace demonstrations echoes 2004 protests after Madrid bombing • Activist mayors, celebrities and 11-M victims’ group in support of…
Poll suggests Spanish voters turning toward PP & PSOE, away from Podemos & Ciudadanos parties
• Poll in wake of Paris terrorist attacks show Spaniards turning to main parties • Political unrest in Cataluña, possible terror attacks…
40 years after Franco’s death, activist wants dictator’s body removed from ‘Valley of the Fallen’
• Activist attorney, former judge Baltasar Garzón wants Franco disinterred • Calls for end to silence over Franco-era disappearances, human rights abuses…
Greenpeace, Oxfam & Amnesty fault Spain’s political parties for foot-dragging on social rights
• NGOs want universal access to basic rights enshrined in Constitution • Political parties get poor marks in commitment to healthcare, housing…