General strike in Spain | Spain: Not a moment of peace for those in power

"Life! Don't survive! Against the profit motive, the bosses and their governments” is the banner at the demonstration on November 11th in Barcelona. Photo: IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wirte/Fabian Suspensivo Sometimes you don't need many words to describe the situation. »I am 31 years old and still live with my parents. I don't know when I'll be able to afford to move out," says Coral Latorre, a left-wing activist in Barcelona. The audiovisual communicator is angry about the rising cost of living, unaffordable rents and a future that is becoming increasingly uncertain for many young people. At the same time, the protest movement gives her hope.

According to the organizers, 400,000 people took to the streets in Barcelona alone on Wednesday, and 600,000 in Madrid. The authorities gave significantly lower numbers at 55,000 and 120,000 respectively. According to union figures, over four million people took part in strike action across the country. It was the largest nationwide industrial dispute in 14 years.

The general strike was already being prepared before Social Democratic Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called new elections for November 29th. The latest wave of protests was triggered by the forced eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal in Madrid in September. The pensioner died a few weeks later. Their fate became a symbol of a housing crisis that has long since affected large parts of Spanish society.

Spain and Barcelona in particular have a long tradition of urban warfare. Years ago, the platform against evictions PAH organized resistance against the loss of living space. Ada Colau, who later became mayor of Barcelona, ​​also emerged from this environment. The current protest camps in central squares remind many of the squares movement that became known as 15M in 2011. The previous nationwide general strike also took place during the financial crisis, on November 14, 2012. This time, however, the movement has a focused starting point with the housing issue.

»We started working towards this strike two years ago. This is not about the coming elections,” explains 27-year-old Jordi from the Catalan Tenants’ Association. While wages stagnated, rents continued to rise. International investment funds bought apartments that would then be rented out as holiday accommodation. It is hardly possible for young people to build their own home.

The protest on Wednesday was correspondingly determined. Central streets, highways and entrances to companies were blocked early in the morning. In industry, Seat and Volkswagen plants, among others, were at a standstill, and logistics centers and ports were also affected.

In Barcelona, ​​demonstrations were already underway in various parts of the city from midnight. The next morning, pickets marched through the city center to force the closure of businesses. Demonstrators gathered in front of major fashion chains such as Adidas and Bershka. Trade unionists also appeared in front of the Apple store on Passeig de Gràcia. A little later the shutters came down.

»We are fighting for higher wages and against rising prices. The rich have more and more money, while the working class has less and less," says Juanma García from the CCOO union in Catalonia. García took part in the blockade at Apple. For him, the strike is just a beginning: “Today is a special day. But the fight continues tomorrow and every other day.”

In the evening, after the large demonstration, there were violent clashes between protesters and the police. In Barcelona, ​​the appearance of a group of around 30 black-clad and masked plainclothes officers caused a stir. When demonstrators responded, hundreds of the Catalan Mossos d'Esquadra police intervened. This was followed by attacks on police vehicles, smashed shop windows, occasional looting and burning barricades until late in the evening. There were also clashes with the police in Madrid.

Politically, the general strike falls into a decisive phase. A new parliament will be elected in Spain at the end of November. Surveys suggest an absolute majority for the conservative Partido Popular and the extreme right-wing Vox.

There is great disappointment among the demonstrators with Sánchez's previous government. "The socialists had years to change something, but they didn't improve the lives of working people," criticizes Latorre. It was precisely this policy that helped the right to become stronger. Voting alone will not stop the shift to the right. This requires strikes, demonstrations and organizing on the streets. Jordi also makes it clear that the tenants' movement does not want to make their demands dependent on election results: "We will continue to put pressure on, no matter which government comes."

"We will continue to apply pressure, no matter which government comes."

The presence of international delegations also shows that these protests are part of a larger European development. Magali, 27 years old, traveled to Barcelona with seven other students from Toulouse. As early as five a.m. they took part in the picket line by bus drivers and education workers. “In France, Italy, Spain and other countries, young people are rising up against precarious living conditions, for higher wages and a dignified future,” says the student. The anger is directed against a future of poverty and war.

The general strike showed what potential this movement has. She seems determined to continue this conflict. If a right-wing government emerges after the elections, it is unlikely to have a quiet moment. The general strike was also a declaration of war on them.

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