Protests in Spain ahead of vote
Protesters with paper hats that read “enough” shout slogan at Sol Square camp on May 20, 2011 in Madrid, Spain.
These are not happy days in Spain.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets this week, venting their bile over what they perceive as government corruption.
An unemployment rate of 21 percent doesn't help much, either. Nor does the ongoing European debt crisis, which has crippled the Spanish economy.
Here's what José M. de Areilza, dean of the IE Law School in Madrid, told the New York Times: “I don’t think that political corruption is necessarily worse in Spain than in other European countries, but I do think that the economic crisis is now generating a lot more anger and resentment here toward politicians.”
Regional and local elections will be held Sunday.
Protesters have now been at it for six days.
Here's what it looks like right now in Puerto del Sol, according to this live USTREAM broadcast.