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Leaky roof puts Spanish politics on hold

George Mills
George Mills - [email protected]
Leaky roof puts Spanish politics on hold
A wheelie bin collects water from the leaking roof of the Spanish parliament on Wednesday. Screen Grab: Congress TV

Spain's first parliamentary session after the summer break was delayed for more than an hour on Wednesday because the roof of the Parliament was leaking.

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The rain in Spain falls mainly on the country's Parliament, or so it seems.

A heavy downpour on Wednesday morning in Madrid meant members of several of Spain's political parties had to flee their usual positions in the chamber of deputies.

Members of the press were also affected by what was described as a "waterfall" coming in through the roof.

"None of us could believe it," Lucas Calvo, parliamentary assistant for Spain's UPyD party, told The Local.

"There were people running collecting water in rubbish bins." 

"There has been a certain conflict because of the repairs and the current meteorological conditions, but we will begin the session in a few minutes, I hope not many," said the Speaker of the House Jesús Posada.

The flooding comes despite extensive €4.5 million ($6 million) improvement works being carried out on the 163-year-old Parliament over the summer.

Rain has also affected the beginning of Wednesday's celebrations of Catalonia's National Day in Barcelona. 

Some 400,000 people are expected to join hands across 86 cities, towns and villages in the region to form a human chain calling for independence from Spain.

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