Unemployment in Spain has risen for the 12th quarter in a row to reach 20.09 per cent or 4.6 million people.

The Spanish economy moved out of recession at the start of the year, but the weak growth failed to put people back in work.

Economists believe that country will slip back into recession in the second half of the year as people loose faith in the banking sector and austerity measures kick in as Spain wrestles with its massive public debt.

The Spanish government is saddled with the third-largest budget deficit in the euro zone.

According to the figures jobs are being lost across all Spain’s major sectors including construction, the service industry and tourism.

Trade unions have called for a general strike at the end of September to protest against budget cuts.

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