Re-Shaping the Anti-Austerity Political Field of Contention: Comparing the Cycles of Protest in Portugal and Spain

In 2011, as a consequence of the Great Recession, both Portugal and Spain saw the emergence of anti-austerity movements and protests. However, despite the many similarities between these two countries, the cycle of protest took different trajectories in terms of its intensity, claims, repertoires, actors involved and outcomes, therefore constituting contrasting cases. Two substantial differences stand in the relation between institutional (parties and unions) and the non-institutional actors (protest movements): (1) parties and unions were key actors of protest in Portugal, while in Spain there we can witness a greater degree of autonomy between the types of actors and social movements standing out as the most relevant player; (2) in Spain new institutional actors emerged as a result of the cycle of protest (e.g. Podemos), while in Portugal the outcome of the crisis led instead to a shift in party-alliances. Taking this into account, the paper traces the evolution of the anti-austerity political field of contention in these two countries between 2008 and 2015. This involves describing the links between institutional and non-institutional actors, both to understand how protests are shaped by institutional actors, while also how protests impact institutional politics. Exploring the formative context and the phases of mobilization and institutionalization phases of this cycle of contention, this paper argues that the differences between countries should be understood in relation to the dynamics of the politic field and in the autonomy and strength of the different actors. This involves challenging purely institutionalist views, by exploring how dynamic relations between actors shape democratic politics. The paper is based on a multi-method approach (combining protest event analysis, participant observation and interviews) and entails a systematic paired comparison of the links of these actors in Portugal and Spain throughout the anti-austerity cycle of protest.