Portugal requests help after Greece and Ireland. Who's next then?

Portugal finally asked the European Union for help. Comparing the situation with the situation in Spain is complicated, as Spain has tried hard to pretend to be doing things, talking to investors and so on, but in the end reality will strike. That should worry the rest of the European Union. Will they be able to bail out Spain?

What should Spain do to avoid asking for even more outside help? The answer is simple but almost impossible to enforce. Changes to Spain's laws should be made, a move away from old dictatorial ways, an end to the job of a lifetime "civil service". A true meritocracy should be enforced, huge cuts to public spending would result.

Trade unions led by people who have never worked and subsidised by the tax system should also be changed. That would be a good move in the right direction. However, how many politicians are civil servants? Who would change a system that affected their own personal situation? Why are most politicians in Spain civil servants?