Protest camp challenge to Spain's main parties

HUNDREDS of Spaniards huddled in a makeshift protest camp in the heart of Madrid for a fourth day yesterday, denouncing the country's two main political parties as selfish and useless.

The demonstrations in the capital and other Spanish cities have introduced anger into what has been a humdrum campaign for local and municipal elections this weekend.

Hundreds of protesters who spent the night at the camp in Madrid's Puerta del Sol plaza shook rain water from plastic sheeting that served as a roof, held small assemblies with megaphones, distributed donated free food such as fruit and sweet rolls, and prepared for another rally in the evening.

The demonstrators in Spain have a range of complaints but are united behind the slogan of "Genuine Democracy Now."

Ramon Cotarelo, a political science professor at Complutense University in Madrid, said the protests, which began over the weekend, are the culmination of many factors.

He cited the economic crisis, rapid-fire internet communications, voters being fed up with ineffective and sometimes corrupt politicians, and election? candidates under formal investigation for corruption.

"Suddenly there's a spark and everything explodes," Mr Cotarelo said.