Stories about Spain from December, 2012
Bolivia: Nationalization and football
From Bolivia, blogger Eduardo Bowles refers to the nationalization of Spanish company Iberdrola [es]: […] amidst a severe credibility crisis and when the bumpings with Chile weren't enough for “beating...
Lobbying and Transparency: Pressuring the European Union
In the European Union, there is considerable political resistance to the culture of transparency. NGOs and bloggers stand up for citizen rights and for participatory democracy.
The Spanish Government's “Boomerang” Hashtag
On December 12, the People's Party (PP) of Madrid decided to launched an information campaign on healthcare reform, creating the hashtag #quenotelienconlasanidad [#dontletthemscrewyouonhealthcare] on Twitter. Thousands of netizens took advantage of the campaign to flood the PP's hashtag with tweets, making it a trending topic for reasons very different from those originally intended by its creators.
Catalonia: Independence from Spain to Do What?
It appears that Catalonia is now set to hold a referendum on its ties to the rest of Spain. Could an independent Catalonia lead to the break-up of the establishment dynamics that have dominated Spain since the late-1970s? The optimists believe so.
Minister Wert Sparks Humour on the Net
An article on online newspaper Núvol with the title “Send up #Wert” [ca] collects discussions, cartoons, jokes and word games inspired by statements and the education law reform proposed by...
Plástica Magazine Shines Spotlight on Independent Spanish-Language Music
Plástica is an international journal specializing in the independent Spanish-language music scene. More than just a magazine, Plástica is a project that focuses on high quality, creative music. Its main goal now is to expand its readership beyond a digital audience, which is why they will launch the first paper edition of the magazine in 2013.
Spain: Young Emigrants Have “Spirit of Adventure”
Marina del Corral Téllez, the Secretary General of Immigration and Emigration of the Ministry of Employment and Social Security, has been in the spotlight thanks to certain statements which have inflamed social media with indignant messages. Del Corral states that the emigration of Spanish youth is due not only to the crisis currently hitting the country, but to their "youthful drive for adventure."
Pardon Granted to Police Officers Convicted of Torture in Spain
The sentence of police officers found guilty of torturing a Romanian citizen in 2006 has been commuted and they have been fined instead. This development has reignited the debate on Spain's system of granting 'pardon,' which has been used to benefit those in closest proximity to power for years.
Brazilian Immigration Policy Faces New Challenges
Whereas the subject has long been debated in Europe and the USA, the issue of immigration has only recently gained prominence in Brazil. This new Brazilian reality throws up a series of new challenges both for Brazilian society and the government.
Access to Public Information: It's Your Right!
It is not always easy to obtain information, data and documents from public administrations, despite the fact that the information in their hands belongs to citizens. This is one of the motives for which some civil society organizations, dedicated to pro-transparency activism, have launched a series of online platforms that allow people to request information from public institutions.
