Spanish opposition leader gives a strong anti-austerity message

Spain's opposition leader Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba gave a strong anti-austerity message at a meeting in Turin in support of Bersani (video and transcript), which shows that the moderate left in Europe is beginning to distance itself with increased clarity from the policies currently pursued.  He said that in today's Europe, Angela Merkel calls the shots. The price was a rise in euroscepticsm to such an extent that the country would no longer approve a constitution in a referendum, as it did last time. He was especially scathing about the budget agreement, which set aside only €6bn for youth unemployment - in contrast for the €40bn in lending to banks.

I come from a firmly pro-European country which is only receiving from Europe 'men in black', reprimands, cuts in social rights, and austerity and moral scolding; and which relieves that today in Europe Angela Merkel and she alone calls the shots. And they are right, because in Europe only Angela Merkel and the European Right call the shots.

I come from a country which, were it to vote on the European Constitution today, might not approve it like we did some yeas back. Because the European Right which is imposing suffering as a way out of the crisis is making euroscepticism grow in my country. We have to convince many people in Southern Europe who have become Eurosceptic because of these policies by the European Right that more Europe is needed to get out of the crisis.

On the European budget Spaniards wonder how it is possible for Europe to lend €40bn to the banks and only thought of setting aside €6bn for youth unemployment. How can we defend a Europe that gives four, ten times more to financial power than to young jobseekers? This has to change.

We have to remind the European Right that they are a machine for creating Eurosceptics.