Police fire rubber bullets as Spain protests against austerity Spain's main unions, the UGT and CCOO, claimed the strike had been a success, with 78pc of workers observing the 24-hour walkout and with turnout in the public sector above 50pc. Candido Mendez, secretary general of Spain's UGT workers" union, said: "Faced with policies that are pushing Spain deeper into recession, worsening living conditions and condemning 6m people to unemployment, there are alternatives." But the effects of the strike were played down by the conservative government of Mariano Rajoy which insisted it had little impact nationwide. Electricity demand, a key measure of economic activity, declined modestly compared with a normal business day with figures showing power consumption had dropped by only 15pc during the morning. Luis de Guindos, Spain's economy minister, insisted strike action "was not the right path" to reduce uncertainty and that the government was pursuing the only option. Meanwhile Eu economic commissioner Olli Rehn announced that Spain will not need further austerity measures until the end of 2013, despite the country set to miss debt targets. "We have now concluded for 2012 and 2013, Spain has taken effective action," he said of a possible rescue programme. The box is ticked as long as implementation is solid and convincing. Italian police injured At least 17 police officers were injured after anti-austerity protests in Rome, Milan, and Turin turned violent. In Turin about 20 demonstrators beat an officer with baseball bats, while in central Milan there were running battles between riot police and protesters in which at least five officers were hurt. In Rome, at least 60 people were arrested after clashes broke out between protesters and police along the banks of the Tiber River, in the heart of the city. Protesters armed with homemade shields threw stones and bottles, to which the police responded with baton charges and tear gas. Officers guarded government buildings, while police helicopters hovered overhead. Activists tried to break through police cordons to reach Palazzo Chigi, the offices of Mario Monti, the prime minister. Tens of thousands of people took part in marches and rallies in around 100 towns and cities across Italy, from Bologna and Milan in the north to Palermo in Sicily. In Naples, around 300 students occupied the main railway station, setting off smoke bombs and flares. The day of action was led by the CGIL, Italy's largest trade union, and involved unionists, students and the unemployed. "Austerity is strangling jobs and impoverishing the country," said Susanna Camusso, the head of the union, during a rally in Terni in Umbria. She said the 12 months since Mr Monti replaced Silvio Berlusconi had been "a year of disasters - a year in which the confidence and hope of young people in this country has been taken away." With unemployment among young people standing at around 35pc, students in Turin burnt the flag of the European Union. French launch 130 marches Tens of thousands of French protesters took part in 130 marches around the country "for employment, solidarity in Europe and against austerity." In Paris, the leaders of the two main unions, CGT and CFDT, joined forces for the first time since Socialist president François Hollande took power. Protesters in the capital chanted, "Let's demand solidarity" and "Austerity can seriously damage your health." In Marseille, protesters chanted: "The people want staff jobs, modern public services that work and retirement at 60." François Chérèque, head of the CFDT, said the protests were directed against European heads of state to tell them: "You cannot impose this type of austerity, it's too dangerous for the economy and, above all, too dangerous in social terms. It leads to tragedies, a blocked economy. We cannot go further," he said. The more militant CGT urged a "move from resistance to offensive action." The Solidaires union added: "We are all European and we must fight for another Europe." On Tuesday, Mr Hollande insisted that anti-austerity demonstrations sweeping Europe did not "put into question" his policies and actually "supported" them. He said one of his main priorities was to "reorient Europe" towards ensuring that growth measures were added to fiscal discipline policies. Unions oppose the French president's decision to give businesses €20bn in tax breaks to boost their competitivity. The measures are financed by cuts in public spending and an increase in sales taxes. The French government denies imposing austerity, despite plans to reduce public spending by €12bn a year over its five-year mandate, for a total reduction of €60bn by 2017.