Protesters vow to stay as Spain holds local elections

MADRID — Protesters seething over mass unemployment defied a ban on their swelling movement Sunday even as Spaniards voted in local elections expected to crush the ruling Socialists.Blasting big politics for the bleak economy and a jobless rate of more than 21 percent, they packed city centres around the country from Barcelona to the holiday island of Majorca.In a blue and clear plastic-covered protest camp in central Madrid's Puerta del Sol square, spearhead of the nationwide action, hundreds of activists agreed in a show of hands to stay at least until May 29. The protests, organized since May 15 via Twitter and Facebook, have grown unimpeded despite an election commission ruling that they are illegal because they clash with the municipal and regional voting.An estimated 60,000 people descended into the streets around the country on the eve of the election but it was difficult to gauge the likely electoral impact.Voting numbers appeared robust: 35.79 percent of voters had cast a ballot by 2pm (1200 GMT), up slightly from same time in the last local elections four years ago, government figures showed.Surveys have forecast devastating losses for the Socialists as people take revenge for the destruction of millions of jobs and painful spending cuts, including reductions to state salaries.Protesters describe themselves as the "indignant", and are known variously as "M-15" in reference to the birth date, "Spanish Revolution" and "Real Democracy Now"."It is time to give other parties, with another vision of how to structure a society, a chance to govern," said 21-year-old anthropology student Carlos Casado as he lined up to get a free breakfast in Puerta del Sol.Others vowed not cast a ballot."I have never voted in my life because I don't see myself reflected in the politicians, I never felt they listen to us," said 20-year-old Javier Pena Pintor.More than 34 million people are eligible to vote Sunday, choosing 8,116 mayors, 68,400 town councillors and 824 members of regional parliaments for 13 of the 17 semi

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