Tens of Thousands March to Support Spanish Anti-Austerity Party

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Madrid today in support of new anti-austerity party Podemos, a week after Greece elected its hard-left ally Syriza.

The protesters chanted "Yes we can!" as they made their way from Madrid city hall to the central Puerta del Sol square. The party and its anti-austerity message have been surging in polls ahead of elections later this year.

"There are many people that agree with the need for change. Enough already with stealing - that the corrupt take everything and we can't do anything," said Dori Sanchez, a 23-year-old unemployed teacher who came from Manovar in southeastern Spain for the rally.

Podemos said 260 buses brought supporters to the capital from across Spain for the "March for Change", with hundreds of locals signed on to host travellers.

Demonstrators carried banners that read "Universal Basic Income," "Tick, tock its time for change" and "Together we can".

Syriza beat mainstream Greek parties by pledging to end austerity, as Podemos aims to do in Spain's general election due in November.

Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, a 36-year-old pony-tailed former university professor, appeared alongside Syriza's Alexis Tsipras, now Greece's Prime Minister, to publicly support him during his campaign.

Podemos was formed just a year ago, but has surged in opinion polls with promises to fight what Mr Iglesias calls the traditional "caste" of political leaders.

Like Syriza, Podemos has found popular support by targeting corruption and rejecting austerity programmes aimed at lifting the countries out of deep economic crisis.

It wants to prevent profitable companies from firing people, abolish private hospitals to return to a fully state-controlled health care system and enact a "significant" minimum-wage hike.

The party has struck a chord with Spaniards enraged by a string of corruption scandals, as well as public spending cuts imposed by the conservative ruling party and previously by the Socialists after the economic crisis erupted in 2008.