In a rare touch of humour in the dour world of Spanish politics, the anti-austerity party Podemos has published its manifesto in the style of the Ikea catalogue.

As in the Swedish furniture catalogue, the manifesto is organised on a room-by-room basis, with candidates pictured at home in the kitchen, on the sofa, in the garden or working at their desks looking homely and approachable.



The party leader, Pablo Iglesias, is featured looking pensive on his balcony, working at a table in a sparsely furnished room and watering a solitary ivy plant. His second-in-command, Íñigo Errejón, is pictured busy with documents and relaxing with a book.

The cover of the Podemos manifesto. Photograph: Podemos

Where possible, the photos correspond with policies. So the policy on social land use is illustrated by party organiser, Pablo Echenique, sitting among pot plants on his terrace.

Other party members are depicted feeding their fish, hanging out washing, making the bed and brushing their teeth.

The photographs serve as a reminder of how young Podemos members are. There is little evidence of either children or grey hair.

The party chose the format because “we want it be the most-read manifesto ever produced” said Podemos co-founder Carolina Bescansa at its launch. The manifesto, which includes a detailed breakdown of policies at the end, is available in paper form for €1.80 (£1.40) including postage.

The policies – easier to follow than the instructions inside an Ikea flat pack – boil down to higher taxes at the top end of the scale and more public spending on health and education.

Pablo Iglesias waters a solitary plant while the manifesto promises an end to austerity. Photograph: Podemos

The party pledges to bring unemployment down to 11% by the end of the next parliament. Unemployment is currently at 21%, with 4.8 million out of work. Podemos plans to raise taxes on incomes above €60,000, rising to 55% on incomes over €300,000.

Corporation tax will go up and there will be a tax on wealth and inheritance. Public spending is to increase by €15bn in each of the next four years and there will be some cuts to the military budget.

Podemos’s policies include an increase in the minimum wage. Photograph: Podemos

Spain returns to the polls on 26 June after elections last December failed to produce a clear winner and the parties were unable to agree on a formula for coalition government. Polls show the Unidos Podemos joint slate running second, having overtaken the mainstream PSOE socialist party.

The ruling conservative People’s party continues to lead but is predicted to fall well short of the 176 seats needed for a majority.

