Rubalcaba calls for European stimulus drive

Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, who heads the Socialist Party's slate for the November 20 general election, on Wednesday urged the European Union to take the lead in promoting policies aimed at reactivating the economy, rather than focusing exclusively on the need for fiscal discipline.

Rubalcaba noted that the OECD, the International Labor Organization as well as US President Barack Obama and his Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousseff have also highlighted the role public investment can play in generating growth and jobs. "We Social Democrats are not so alone now," the Socialists' prime-ministerial candidate said at a campaign rally in Madrid.

The former interior minister also called on the European Central Bank to lower interest rates.

Spain's unemployment rate is double the European average at 21.5 percent.