SPAIN's conservative government, led by Mr Jose Maria Aznar, faces its most serious test since it was elected seven months ago, writes Alex Scott, in Barcelona. The country's major trade unions are planning a public sector general strike against the pay freeze ordered to help meet the Maastricht criteria.
An estimated 200,000 public service workers converged on Madrid on Saturday, bringing the centre of the capital to a standstill in the biggest demonstration seen there in years. Union leaders promised that action would not stop with a planned strike in the public sector, probably on December 12th, but that further protests would continue into next spring.
Mr Aznar's government is wholly committed to meeting the criteria set down to achieve the earliest deadlines for Economic and Monetary Union set down by the EU, as was the narrowly defeated Socialist government led by Mr Felipe Gonzalez.
But while there was relative peace between the Socialist government and the principal trade unions (and in spite of Mr Aznar's early attempts to achieve a working pact between the unions, employers and the administration), there are strong signs he has inherited a poisoned chalice from his predecessors as the Maastricht deadline approaches.
So far, the principal opposition to a social agreement has come from the employers, who had been expecting a more positive attitude towards greater labour flexibility, reduced costs and lower interest rates, and fewer concessions to the unions than during the almost 14 years of Socialist rule.
Mr Aznar commented after the Madrid turnout that he was "aware I am asking them to make an effort... [but] they should understand that the effort is fundamental for this country's objectives."