Thousands of people march through the streets of Madrid - the latest round of demonstrations against a government austerity plan.<br/> <br />Similar protests were held across the country as anger mounts over 37 billion euros in looming budget cuts.<br/> <br />The plan calls for deep rollbacks in education and healthcare - something opposition leader Cayo Lara called unacceptable.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNITED LEFT LEADER, CAYO LARA, SAYING:<br/> <br />"We will continue to protest in the streets to vindicate the essential public services - health, education, social services. And we'll keep telling the government that there is an alternative to making cuts in order to solve the deficit and the alternative is increase revenues."<br/> <br />It was a sentiment echoed by demonstrators.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, BEGONA, SAYING:<br/> <br />"We are protesting against the cuts in health, education and others. But I guess it is a bit because everything, because we see a plan to destroy the entire state of well being."<br/> <br />The government insists the cuts are necessary to end a five-year-old fiscal crisis in Spain, where unemployment sits at close to 25 percent.<br/> <br />Andrew Raven, Reuters
