Spain joblessness rises as reforms loom

The number of registered unemployed in Spain rose for the fifth month in a row in December 2011, increasing by 1,897 to 4.42m, the Ministry of Employment and Social Security announced on the 3 January 2012 as the country awaited the new government’s labour market reforms.

The new centre-right government of Mariano Rajoy, prime minister, had pledged aggressive reform of Spain’s labour market as a way of reducing unemployment and restoring growth to the crisis-stricken economy.

ESO: Background information: Spanish unemployment continues to rise http://www.europeansources.info/record/spanish-unemployment-continues-to-rise/

Spain: Instituto Nacional de Estasidistica (INE) http://www.ine.es/welcoing.htm

Spain: Ministry of Labour and Immigration http://www.mtin.es/en/index.htm

El País, 3.1.12: Unemployment figures rose 7.86 percent over 2011 http://www.elpais.com/articulo/english/Unemployment/figures/rose/786/percent/over/2011/elpepueng/20120103elpeng_2/Ten

El País, 9.1.12: Low-cost life for all (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/1375731-low-cost-life-all

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