General strikes to paralyze Spain as protestors clash with police ahead of election campaign

Spain is bracing for its first general strike in 14 years on Wednesday, with millions of workers expected to walk out and protests already turning confrontational with police ahead of the official start of the election campaign. The stoppage, organized by the country's main unions, is set to disrupt transport, industry and public services nationwide. It matters because the show of labor strength could reshape the political debate just as campaigning begins, testing the government's handling of the economy and employment. Investors will watch whether the disruption hits output and how the major parties respond to union demands in the opening days of the campaign.