Mass emigration from Spain is a disturbing new response to the country's economic and social problems. Young people form the bulk of this 'maroon tide' of Spanish passport-holders

In Spain it is known as the ‘maroon tide’ - the transnational movement formed by immigrants of Spanish nationality. These people are struggling, from outside of the country, against the causes that have led to the economic and social crisis that has forced thousands to emigrate.

This phenomenon was born in the heat of other social movements that have appeared in Spain in recent years. The Spanish tide is maroon because this is the colour of our national passport. It has become a symbol of enforced migration.

Every day, 163 people are forced to leave the country. Directly or indirectly, each and every one of more than 46 million Spanish citizens are affected by this development. We  all have family, friends or acquaintances who - after a long journey of disappointment, misunderstanding and rejection - have taken the decision to emigrate, leaving their own country behind.

The 'maroon tide' has even established itself as a 'horizontal movement', with regular face to face and virtual meetings, at local and global level. This is fostering new forms of participation, self-organization and demands for rights beyond borders.

Given the phenomenal scale of this development, let’s look at why it has come into existence in Spain,  and in what age range migration is the most common.

The reason is clear: unemployment. According to Spain's Labour Force Survey, in the third quarter of 2013, youth unemployment (youth under 25 years) reached 54%, as compared to 23.7% of youth unemployment for the rest of Europe. If we add to this another factor which acts as a trigger - widespread over-qualification - we can see that the perfect environment for mass emigration is developing.

Not so many years ago, a qualification was seen as a passport to success, and a dishonour for those who didn’t possess one (it was even an obsession for parents, who ignored vocational professions such as carpentry or becoming an electrician, that are less glamourous, but equally valid and often better paid).

Who knew that being a trained and qualified person would be turned against us?! A young person with a degree, a post-graduate qualification, language skills, computer knowledge and who is, on a personal level, a responsible and intelligent worker, can still find no job in Spain.

Why? It beggars belief that so many Spanish youth are in this situation.

The next question is where do our young qualified people go. Mainly, this massive emigration is destined for Europe (UK, France and Germany) and South America (for example, Ecuador). We currently find that 110,000 Spanish citizens registered in the UK and 85,300 in Germany.

When, and at what age does this exile take place? Unfortunately, even though it is true that the vast majority of citizens emigrating every day looking for work are young (under 25 years), their  mothers and fathers are alos being affected. Many of them too are having to  leave their own country and go in search of luck beyond our borders.

Although the Spanish Ministry of Employment likes to call this tide 'external mobility', this is not the case. It is economic exile. When an economist, engineer, or doctor flees their country (and I say flee advisedly) it is because their future otherwise consists - if they are lucky - of serving burgers in fast food restaurants. External mobility it is not.

Marta Riera López is auditor of the auditing authority of the principality of Asturias in Spain