Spain's record unemployment grows for fifth month

Jan 3, 2012, 9:11 GMT

Madrid - Spain's record number of unemployed grew in December for the fifth consecutive month, figures released by the new conservative government showed on Tuesday.

The number of jobless went up by 1.897 people to 4.42 million, compared with November, the Employment Ministry noted. Year-on-year, the number of unemployed increased by 7.9 per cent.

The national statistics body INE, which uses a different calculation method, puts the number at nearly 5 million.

The ministry does not give the unemployment rate as a percentage. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who took office in December, put it at 23 per cent, more than twice the European Union average.

The new unemployment figures confirm 'the deterioration of the economic situation in the second quarter' and that labour market reforms carried out by the previous Socialist government had not been efficient, employment secretary of state Engracia Hidalgo said.

Rajoy's government has pledged 'a very aggressive agenda of reforms' - expected to include a labour market reform - as well as tax hikes and spending cuts totalling about 15 billion euros (20 billion dollars) to ward off an international bailout.

The government was expected to announce more spending cuts this week to trim the budget deficit, expected at around 8 per cent - well above the 6 per cent target - in 2011.