There's little room for doubt now that the May 22 regional and municipal elections will mark a hugely significant change for Spain’s political map. The Popular Party (PP) is heading for an overwhelming victory, as underlined by the latest poll published by Metroscopia. The pollster points to major gains across the country for the conservatives, but the fact they now look poised to take traditional Socialist strongholds such as Seville and Castilla-La Mancha is the most striking development. Given that such enormous changes are afoot, it is strange –and frustrating– that this election campaign has not been more compelling. Instead of seeing the Socialists dig deep to fight for their … [Read more...] about Banality and pragmatism on Spain’s campaign trail
may 22 elections
Common sense prevails as Bildu is allowed to run in elections
Just as the campaign leading up to the May 22 local elections was starting, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled on Friday that the Bildu Basque nationalist coalition should be allowed to take part. A vote of six votes to five reflects the intense political pressure surrounding this landmark vote. While there will inevitably be outraged voices in Madrid, the ruling is an encouraging sign that Spain’s highly politicised courts can take tough decisions based on the evidence before them, rather than vague suspicions that ETA terrorists must be at work behind the scenes. The izquierda abertzale, the pro-independence Basque left, has made substantial moves to prove its own democratic … [Read more...] about Common sense prevails as Bildu is allowed to run in elections
Mixed feelings in Spain over Libya mission
Publicly, however, Spaniards are split over the merits of an intervention in an Arab state, which to some observers at least brings back uncomfortable memories of the former Popular Party administration’s backing for the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. While the Iraq intervention was widely unpopular – drawing millions of Spaniards onto the country’s streets in protest – the Libya mission has drawn no such outcry. Among Iberosphere readers, 45 percent support Spain’s involvement in the NATO mission, according to an (admittedly unscientific) poll on this website last month. Forty percent oppose Spain being involved, and 15 percent said they were indifferent. Spain is backing the NATO … [Read more...] about Mixed feelings in Spain over Libya mission