Spain's Lost Generation Finds Its Voice
Young people in Madrid have occupied the city's Puerta del Sol square in protest against high unemployment and the political establishment. They are calling for a boycott of the main parties in weekend elections -- and some have begun comparing them to protesters in Egypt earlier this year.
They have been dubbed the "lost generation," with many of them unable to find jobs and forced to live at home as a result of the economic crisis. But now Spain's young people appear to have found their voice -- and they are taking their anger with their country's politicians into the streets. Protests are continuing on Madrid's landmark Puerta del Sol square on Thursday. Many thousands of young people gathered on the square on Wednesday, defying a ban on the demonstration. BBC reported that as many as 2,000 stayed the night on the square. The young people are protesting against high unemployment, the Spanish government's handling of the economic crisis and the political establishment. They want a boycott of the major political parties, the ruling Socialists (PSOE) and the center-right opposition People's Party (PP), in this weekend's elections. Over 8,000 municipal and 13 regional elections are being held on Sunday. The protesters say they will stay on the square until the elections take place.
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