2011 Spanish local elections
The 2011 Spanish local elections were held on Sunday, 22 May 2011, to elect all 68,230 councillors in the 8,116 municipalities of Spain and all 1,040 seats in 38 provincial deputations. The elections were held simultaneously with regional elections in thirteen autonomous communities, as well as local elections in the three foral deputations of the Basque Country and the eleven island councils in the Balearic and Canary Islands.
Image: Mariano Rajoy 2012b (cropped)
Image: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero 2011c (cropped)
Image: Cayo Lara IU2
Image: Artur Mas 2012 (cropped)
Anti-austerity movement in Spain
The anti-austerity movement in Spain, also referred to as the 15-M Movement, and the Indignados Movement, was a series of protests, demonstrations, and occupations against austerity policies in Spain that began around the local and regional elections of 2011 and 2012. Beginning on 15 May 2011, many of the subsequent demonstrations spread through various social networks such as Real Democracy NOW and Youth Without a Future.
The Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, shown here on 20 May 2011, became a focal point and a symbol during the protests.
Demonstration in Barcelona on 22 January 2011, against the raise in the retirement age
Demonstration in Madrid, 2011
The night of 17 May in Puerta del Sol