Madrid - Activists from the Indignados (Outraged) protest movement that grew out of Spain's economic crisis took power in the country's two biggest cities Saturday after thrashing the ruling conservatives in local elections.
Former judge Manuela Carmena, a communist in her youth, was sworn in as mayor of Madrid on Saturday morning, while 41-year-old activist Ada Colau was set to become Barcelona's first female mayor later in the afternoon.
Carmena ended 24 years of conservative Popular Party rule in the Spanish capital.
"I promise to loyally respect the duties involved in being mayor of Madrid," Carmena said as she was sworn in, minutes after the city council officially voted her in as leader of the city of three million.
The council chamber broke into applause, as supporters cried out the rallying call of the Indignados movement: "Yes, it is possible!"
Carmena became mayor after her leftist platform, Ahora Madrid, forged an alliance with the main opposition Socialists, some two weeks after thrashing the ruling Popular Party in local and regional elections in May.
"We are at the service of the citizens of Madrid. We want to govern by listening. We want them to call us by our first names," Carmena said, just after her victory was announced.
Highlighting her concern with poverty in Spain, where many live precariously even though the worst of the crisis is over, Carmena told the story of a 63-year-old woman named Julia whom she met on the capital's main square, Puerta del Sol, who lives on 300 euros ($340) a month.
Madrid suffers a 16 percent unemployment rate, while many who have jobs do not earn enough to get through the month.
Carmena has promised to stamp out corruption, develop public transport, increase subsidies for poor families and slash the mayor's salary by more than half to 45,000 Euros ($51,000).
Many of the new mayor's supporters come from the Indignados protest movement that occupied Spanish squares four years ago, demanding an end to government spending cuts to healthcare and education, and to corruption.
Carmena's platform includes neighbourhood associations, environmentalist groups and Spain's new anti-austerity party, Podemos, whose strong gains could make them kingmakers in what analysts have described as a historic general election in December.
Podemos's pony-tailed leader Pablo Iglesias was present at the city council meeting, clapping for his ally Carmena when the result was read out.
AFP
