Podemos: Spain's Year-Old Anti-Austerity Political Party Tops National Polls for the Fourth Time
Last week's March Metroscopia poll for Spain shows the political party, Podemos, remains the leading choice for Spanish voters. Podemos is number one in the national vote for the fourth time in five months.
Podemos currently holds 22.5 percent of votes, the Socialists second with 20.2 percent, the People's Party third on 18.6 percent and Ciudadanos (Citizens) with 18.4 percent.
Podemos has struck fear in the business, banking and political elite as it's swept the country in just a year since its inception. Founded in 2014 by professors, social activists and researchers, Podemos has become the second largest Spanish party by number of members in just one year. The party is currently led by 36-year-old Pablo Iglesia. The creation of Podemos stems from the economic crisis in the European Union in 2011.
The ruling party in Spain is the People's Party led by the country's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey.
Considered the Spanish version of the Greek Syriza party, the left-wing populist group targets unemployment, inequality, corruption and anti-austerity measures in Spain.
In May 2014, after officially being presented in January 2014, the party received 8 percent of the vote at the 2014 European parliamentary elections. It was awarded five seats out of 54.
The party has been able to gain support from the country's citizens because of the disenchantment with the country's political and economic leaders. Recent corruption scandals has revealed a number of Spanish politicians allegedly hid large sums of money in foreign bank accounts.
On top of corruption, Spain's economy grew by just 1.4 percent in 2014. Two years ago employment was at its peak with 26 percent. Podemos seeks to halt evictions of homeowners and will work to grant welfare for families affected by the current 24 percent unemployment rate plaguing the country. The party also wants to renegotiate the country's debt with its creditors in the same way the Greek Syriza party is currently doing.
The election of the Syriza party in Greece has only put more fire in the bellies of the Podemos leadership and its followers as the election demonstrated the power of an anti-establishment party.
The Syriza party has recently been able to renegotiate its bailout terms with international lenders. Last month Greece received a four-month extension on its loans.
If last week's polling and the continued growth in the party's popularity is any indication, Spain may see a new ruling party later this year.
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