 Image caption Young people are angry that, despite qualifications, there is no work 
 
 Thousands of people have taken part in protests across Spain's main cities, defying a government ban on political protest ahead of local elections. And not only are they fed up with their economic situation, they are also calling for an end to domination of the political system by the two main parties. The student demonstrations in Britain, the riots in Greece, and the union protests in France, Italy, and Belgium were all born of the same frustration. Politicians have rarely been held in such disregard, with the prime minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and opposition leader, Mariano Rajoy, of the conservative People's party, rating lowest. Some protesters had said they feared a police crackdown, but Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said the police were "not going to resolve one problem by creating another". And, so far, the protests across Europe have not grown into anything big enough to force them to change tack 
 
 "This should make the political classes aware that something is not right," said 25-year-old Inma Moreno. The protest began six days ago in Madrid's Puerta del Sol as a spontaneous sit-in by young Spaniards frustrated at 45% youth unemployment.
– Because regional elections take place in Spain tomorrow, today is supposed to be a national "day of reflection," with no protests or public gatherings. Try explaining that to the tens of thousands of demonstrators who continue to pack city squares in Madrid, Barcelona, and other major cities. Police didn't even attempt to move in when the midnight deadline arrived, reports the BBC. Calls for political and economic reform mount, driven by one key factor: Unemployment among young people is 42%, notes CNN. "They want to leave us without public health, without public education, half of our youth is unemployed, they have risen the age of our retirement as well," said one protester. Noting that the protests were fueled by Twitter and Facebook groups, the Guardian asked another demonstrator whether the Arab spring had reached Europe. "You can't really compare us to people who were risking their lives by protesting," said the 23-year-old computer engineer. "But yes, you can say that we are inspired by the courage of the Arab spring."