Re: Granada’s Folk Hero – A Doctor Mobilizes the Masses

Granada, a province in southern Spain, has seen the rise of an extraordinary protest movement. In the last few months, tens of thousands have taken to the barricades against reforms in the health system. And at the forefront of the demonstrations is Jesús Candel, a charismatic emergency physician who has enthused the masses and perturbed his critics. For many, he is a role model in the fight against corruption in Spain. His opponents accuse him of hypocrisy and fighting dirty.

By now, the doctor is committed to fighting against everything that the inhabitants of Granada find unjust. His mission: He no longer wants to just transform his city, he wants lasting changes across the whole country.

Arte Re: accompanies Candel during his ascent to becoming a “folk hero”. Could his initiative be the prototype for a new, direct democracy movement, or is he just another populist exploiting the frustrations of his fellow citizens for his own purposes?

  • Report
  • Mayte Carrasco
  • ZDF/Arte
  • 30 Minuten
  • 2017