The new indignados (Juan Carlos Girauta in El Debate)

The 15-M movement promised electoral reforms, decent housing and fairer taxation, but many of those demands were left on the drawing board or distorted in implementation.

## The echo of the promises of 15-M

Back in **2011**, the **15-M** movement burst forcefully into **Sol** square, shaking up the political and social landscape. Among the demands that resonated most strongly was an electoral reform seeking greater proportionality and open lists, a measure that, had it been implemented, would have peine a legitimate debate on representation. The banner of decent housing was also raised, a longing that, given the later trajectory, seems to have been more a slogan of convenience than a real priority.

The demand for tax reform that would benefit lower incomes was also part of the original decalogue. The idea was clear: a fairer tax system. However, later participation in the Government of Spain translated into measures that, according to some analyses, penalised incomes deemed high without clear justification, departing from the initial spirit.

## The fine print of the commitments

Another sensitive point on the **15-M** agenda was the abolition of lifetime salaries, a measure that undoubtedly enjoys broad popular support. The idea of ending perks for former regional presidents or members of the Consejo de Estado (Spain's supreme consultative council) is, at the very least, attractive. However, collective memory records no concrete proposals in this regard from those who capitalised on the movement.

The linking of election manifestos to political action was another major rallying cry. The aspiration that parties should keep their campaign promises is understandable. However, political reality, especially in the context of **sanchismo** (Pedro Sánchez's political style), has proved more complex, with numerous broken promises that have marked the term. Transparency in accounts and party funding, a fundamental demand, has also been called into question, especially regarding the funding of the Spanish left.