Tempers flare as Spain holds general strike

Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy faces his first test as unions stage a general strike today against fresh austerity measures.

Tensions flared in the early hours as workers from the country’s largest unions clashed with police at a bus depot in Madrid.

There is anger over labour reforms the government plans to introduce on Friday which protesters say will make it easier to fire people.

“Strikes won’t solve our problems. But they’re the best way of putting pressure on the government to fix them,” one demonstrator said.

Nonetheless, the government has vowed to press ahead with its labour reforms which it says will reduce unemployment.

Polls suggest the rulling People’s Party may be right. Only 30 percent of workers were expected to join the strike, with transport services hardest hit.

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