July 06, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Spain’s governing Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE) and the opposition Popular Party (PP) are practically tied, according to a poll by Instituto Opina released by Cadena Ser. 42 per cent of respondents would support PSOE in the next legislative election, while 41 per cent would vote for the PP.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Spain’s governing Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE) and the opposition Popular Party (PP) are practically tied, according to a poll by Instituto Opina released by Cadena Ser. 42 per cent of respondents would support PSOE in the next legislative election, while 41 per cent would vote for the PP.

The coalition of United Left (IU) and Initiative for Catalonia-Greens (IC-V) is third with five per cent, followed by Convergence and Union (CiU) with three per cent, Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD) with two per cent, and both the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC) with one per cent.

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 March, Spain held a general election. The PSOE secured a new term in office with 43.36 per cent of the vote and 169 seats in the lower house, followed by the PP with 39.85 per cent and 153 mandates. Zapatero retained his post as head of government.

Spain has been hit hard by a global economic slowdown. On Jul. 2, Zapatero declared: "The Spanish economy is going through a period of serious difficulties but I have to stress that it has never faced a period like this before from such a good starting point." The president said Spain will not face "durable stagnation or much less, a recession."

Polling Data

What party would you support in the next general election?

	Jun. 26	Jun. 12
Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE)	42%	40%
Popular Party (PP)	41%	40%
United Left (IU) / Initiative for Catalonia-Greens (IC-V)	5%	4%
Convergence and Union (CiU)	3%	3%
Union, Progress and Democracy (UPyD)	2%	2%
Basque Nationalist Party (PNV)	1%	1%
Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)	1%	1%

Source: Instituto Opina / Cadena Ser
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Spanish adults, conducted on Jun. 26, 2008. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.