Malaga became the political centre of Spain this Friday as thousands took to the streets for May Day – with the upcoming Andalucian elections on May 17 firmly in the spotlight.
What is usually a day focused on workers’ rights quickly turned into a campaign stage, with senior government figures and regional candidates using the demonstration to push their messages.
Among those leading the march were Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz, PSOE candidate Maria Jesus Montero, and government spokesperson Elma Saiz, who all addressed crowds before the rally set off.
Diaz praised workers as ‘the people who truly build Spain’ and called for stronger labour protections, highlighting ongoing issues in the tourism sector, particularly in Malaga.
‘There are 2.5 million unpaid overtime hours in Spain. That’s illegal,’ she said, pledging stricter enforcement through working time registration systems to ensure employees ‘work less and earn more.’
Saiz struck a more institutional tone, pointing to what she described as record employment figures, with more than 22 million workers nationwide, including a historic high of 10.4 million women in work.
‘This government has dignified work,’ she said, promising continued progress without ‘taking a single step back’ on labour rights.
For Maria Jesus Montero, the rally doubled as a campaign platform. She linked workers’ rights directly to her electoral message, warning that housing has become ‘a luxury’ for many young people and urging voters to turn out on election day.
‘Our young people don’t deserve precarity. They deserve real opportunities, stable jobs and fair wages,’ she said, announcing plans for a youth employment programme combining training, hiring and mentoring.
Elsewhere, Por Andalucia candidate Antonio Maillo proposed using €1.5 billion in unused regional funds to launch a job plan targeting vulnerable groups, including young people, women and over-45s. He accused the current PP-led government of prioritising elites over ordinary workers.
Meanwhile, Adelante Andalucia leader Jose Ignacio Garcia, speaking at a separate rally in Jaen, called for a 30-hour working week without salary cuts and launched a direct attack on far-right leader Santiago Abascal, saying ‘people living off handouts are not welcome in Andalucia.’
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
