Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Madrid in support of new anti-austerity party Podemos, a week after Greece elected its hard-left ally Syriza.
The protesters chanted "Yes we can" as they made their way from Madrid city hall to the central Puerta del Sol square.
The party and its anti-austerity message have been surging in polls ahead of elections later this year.
"There are many people that agree with the need for change. Enough already with stealing - that the corrupt take everything and we can't do anything," said Dori Sanchez, a 23-year-old unemployed teacher who came from Manovar in south-eastern Spain for the rally.
Podemos said 260 buses brought supporters to the capital from across Spain for the rally referred to as the March for Change, with hundreds of locals signed on to host travellers.
Demonstrators carried banners that read "Universal Basic Income", "Tick, tock it's time for change" and "Together we can".
Syriza beat mainstream Greek parties by pledging to end austerity, as Podemos aims to do in Spain's general election due in November.
Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, a 36-year-old former university professor, appeared alongside Syriza's Alexis Tsipras, now Greece's prime minister, to publicly support him during his campaign.
Podemos was formed a year ago but has surged in opinion polls with promises to fight what Iglesias called the traditional "caste" of political leaders.
Like Syriza, Podemos found popular support by targeting corruption and rejecting austerity programs aimed at lifting the countries out of deep economic crisis.
It wants to prevent profitable companies from firing people, abolish private hospitals to return to a fully state-controlled health care system and enact a "significant" minimum wage hike.
The protesters chanted "Yes we can" as they made their way from Madrid city hall to the central Puerta del Sol square.
The party and its anti-austerity message have been surging in polls ahead of elections later this year.
"There are many people that agree with the need for change. Enough already with stealing - that the corrupt take everything and we can't do anything," said Dori Sanchez, a 23-year-old unemployed teacher who came from Manovar in south-eastern Spain for the rally.
Podemos said 260 buses brought supporters to the capital from across Spain for the rally referred to as the March for Change, with hundreds of locals signed on to host travellers.
Demonstrators carried banners that read "Universal Basic Income", "Tick, tock it's time for change" and "Together we can".
Syriza beat mainstream Greek parties by pledging to end austerity, as Podemos aims to do in Spain's general election due in November.
Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, a 36-year-old former university professor, appeared alongside Syriza's Alexis Tsipras, now Greece's prime minister, to publicly support him during his campaign.
Podemos was formed a year ago but has surged in opinion polls with promises to fight what Iglesias called the traditional "caste" of political leaders.
Like Syriza, Podemos found popular support by targeting corruption and rejecting austerity programs aimed at lifting the countries out of deep economic crisis.
It wants to prevent profitable companies from firing people, abolish private hospitals to return to a fully state-controlled health care system and enact a "significant" minimum wage hike.
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