Jobless rate drops to 4-year low in further sign of economic recovery

Spain's unemployment rate fell to 21.2% in the second quarter of 2015, its lowest level in four years, official data from INE showed on the 22 October 2015, in a further sign of recovery in the eurozone's fourth-largest economy.

However, other indicators showed a rise of child poverty in Spain and an increasing gulf between rich and poor, amid concerns over the country's social security system.

• Primary Source

Blog: Open Europe, 22.10.15: New Spanish jobs data: The numbers and the politics http://openeurope.org.uk/blog/new-spanish-jobs-data-the-numbers-and-the-politics/

El Pais, 22.10.15: Ranks of jobless fall below five-million mark for first time in five years http://elpais.com/elpais/2015/10/22/inenglish/1445502578_048177.html

Spain: National Statistics Institute (INE) http://www.ine.es/en/welcome.shtml

ESO: Background information: Spanish economy records biggest quarterly jobs rise since 2005. Spain raises civil servants' salaries in election year http://www.europeansources.info/record/spanish-economy-records-biggest-quarterly-jobs-rise-since-2005-spain-raises-civil-servants-salaries-in-election-year/

EurActiv, 23.10.15: Spain's jobless rate falls to 4-year low ahead of vote http://www.euractiv.com/sections/social-europe-jobs/spains-jobless-rate-falls-4-year-low-ahead-vote-318801

Politico, 26.10.15: What Rajoy didn’t want to talk about http://www.politico.eu/article/rajoy-elections-economics-unemployment-austerity-youth-recovery/

EurActiv, 13.11.15: Child poverty rising in Spain, contradicting recovery claims http://www.euractiv.com/sections/social-europe-jobs/child-poverty-rising-spain-contradicting-recovery-claims-319457

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