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It's Not Just Podemos Shaking Up Spain: Meet Ciudadanos

Anti-austerity party Podemos is not the only group upsetting politics in Spain and trying to capitalize on popular discontent. Another party gaining favor among voters is the significantly less radical Ciudadanos ("Citizens"). Formed in Catalonia, the party promotes national unity and has been attracting voters from both the left and right who are fed up with corrupt politicians.

  • Led by 35-year-old Albert Rivera, whose popularity polls the highest among all leaders in Spain, with an approval rating of 49%, the party is still relatively new and has yet to decide exactly where it's headed.

  • The Ciudadanos ideological blur is its greatest asset, says Le Monde. Like Podemos, it lies beyond the left-right divide and also sends a message of moderation that could attract many conservatives tired of the governing Popular Party (PP).
  • While Ciudadanos has been identified as having a populist platform, many campaign videos feature notorious right-wing personalities. The party is no stranger to controversy: Rivera raised more than a few eyebrows last year with an extremely revealing campaign poster. Members have also been questioned for their involvement in dubious coalitions.

  • The party is opposed to Catalan nationalism and was outspoken during last year's referendum on secession. Rivera outlines the party's ideology with the phrase: "Catalonia is my homeland, Spain is my country, and the European Union is our future." Their pro-union stance won them growing support around the rest of the country, along with their promise of sound economic management.
  • Their primary objectives are to fight unemployment, inequality, insecurity, and poverty, and make sure that all citizens receive a fair wage. The party says it will also strive for a EU that is politically active against unemployment.
  • The most recent poll from the Metroscopia Institute for El País suggests that if a general election were to be held tomorrow, Ciudadanos would win 12.2% (around 1 million votes, placing it in 4th position), while Podemos would take the most, at 27.7%. With upcoming regional and municipal elections in May and a general election in December, the party can only be expected to expand and grow in popularity.

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Green

Moose In Our Midst: How Poland's Wildlife Preservation Worked A Bit Too Well

Wild moose have been spotted on Polish beaches and even near cities. They're a rare example of successful conservation efforts, but they're increasingly coming into contact with people.

Photo of a moose crossing a road

Moose seen in Poland

Joanna Wisniowska

GDANSK — Images of wild moose roaming the streets and beaches of Poland’s Baltic coast have been cropping up online more frequently. What should someone do if they encounter one? According to Mateusz Ciechanowski, a biologist at the University of Gdansk, the best option is to leave them alone.

“This is the result of the consistent protection that has been provided to this species of moose,” said Ciechanowski. “As the numbers increase, so does the animals’ range”.

Various media outlets have been publishing reports about spotted wild moose in the cities of Gdansk, Gdynia, and Sopot with increasing frequency. Perhaps more surprising is that these moose have been seen on beaches as well.

Centuries ago, moose could be found all over the European continent. But, like the European bison, they were often hunted for their value as an attractive game animal.

Aside from population declines due to hunting, the drainage of European wetlands also decreased the number of viable moose habitats. The animals, which prefer marshy areas, dwindled without the proper natural environment to flourish in.

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