March 09, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The governing Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE) holds a slim advantage before today’s general election in Spain, according to a poll by Sigma Dos published in The Times. 43.1 per cent of respondents would back the PSOE, while 39.3 per cent will vote for the opposition conservative Popular Party (PP).

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The governing Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE) holds a slim advantage before today’s general election in Spain, according to a poll by Sigma Dos published in The Times. 43.1 per cent of respondents would back the PSOE, while 39.3 per cent will vote for the opposition conservative Popular Party (PP).

In addition, 17.6 per cent of respondents would vote for other parties. Nine smaller parties hold seats in the current legislature: the coalition of United Left (IU) and Initiative for Catalonia-Greens (IC-V), Catalonia’s Convergence and Union (CiU), the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), the Canarian Coalition (CC), the Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG), the Aragonese Junta (CHA), Basque Solidarity (EA), and Navarra’s Nafarroa Bai (NaBai).

PSOE leader José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was sworn in as president of the government in April 2004, following his party’s victory in the legislative ballot. The conservative PP had administered the government under José María Aznar since 1996. Mariano Rajoy took over as PP leader in August 2003.

In 2004, the PSOE secured 164 seats in the Congress of Deputies with 42.64 per cent of the vote, while the PP finished second with 148 seats and 37.64 per cent of all cast ballots.

On Mar. 7, Socialist Basque council member Isaías Carrasco was gunned down in Mondragón-Arrasate by a purported member of armed group Basque Motherland and Liberty (ETA).

Zapatero expressed dismay at the situation, saying, "The Spanish people do not admit challenges from people who trample on their rights. We don’t admit them today, and we will never accept them. We will defend our institutions and freedoms."

Rajoy declared: "The only culprits are the terrorists. The only option is their defeat on the side of the law. (...) Rights and freedoms will return to Spain, no one should have any doubt."

Polling Data

What party would you support in the next general election?

Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE)	43.1%
Popular Party (PP)	39.3%
United Left (IU) / Initiative for Catalonia-Greens (IC-V)	4.9%
Convergence and Union (CiU)	2.9%
Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)	1.6%
Basque Nationalist Party (PNV)	1.5%
Other parties	6.7%

Source: Sigma Dos / The Times
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Spanish adults, conducted on Mar. 5, 2008. Margin of error is 3.16 per cent.

 

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