28 January 2004

MADRID – The fight against terrorism should be the main aim of society, according to a poll published Wednesday.

According to the CIS opinion poll carried out in December, more than half of Spaniards feel the main objective of Spanish society ought to be the fight against terrorism.

Reducing unemployment is the citizens’ second priority.

According to figures released Wednesday, Spaniards are on the whole satisfied with the way 2003 went.

But although they expect to improve their personal situation in future, there is widespread pessimism as far as the country’s major problems are concerned.

More people think that unemployment, social unrest, drugs, the environment and housing issues will worsen this year. They are split over terrorism.

On the other hand, there is optimism that health services will improve.

In the long term, Spaniards feel that unemployment, poverty and marginality will remain problematic throughout this century, and doubt whether there will be enough food to go around or that new technologies will manage to reduce unemployment.

However, they agree that the number of women in the labour force will probably match that of men in all spheres of society.

The main issues that Spaniards consider should be tackled are terrorism (53.6 percent) unemployment (49.9 percent), and citizen unrest (25.8 percent).

They also feel there should be a curb on cloning (59.9 percent), and nuclear energy (54.3 percent), and would like to see further breakthroughs in organ transplants (74 percent), and clean energy (64.9 percent).

The struggle against rising prices is a priority for over a fifth of Spaniards (21.9 percent). This concern mirrors the fact that 18.8 percent of the population lists soaring housing prices as one of the country’s weaknesses.

Personally speaking, 58.3 percent of Spaniards said that 2003 was a “good” or “very good” year, while 13.2 percent said it was “bad” or “very bad”.

Nearly half – or 43.8 percent expect 2004 to be better and 6 percent expect it to be worse.

Spaniards are especially satisfied with their health or physical fitness, followed by leisure time, lifestyle and their home.

But they are generally unsatisfied with their income.

Despite this last finding, the number of Spaniards who feel that the country’s general economic situation is “good” or “very good” has risen to 37.3 percent.

As for politics, the number who feel the situation is “good” or “very good” has risen to 64.8 percent, whereas 40.2 percent think it is “fair” and 15.9 percent “bad”.

Nearly two-thirds or 64.8 percent feel that the Spanish society is quite democratic, 61.7 percent conservative and 60 percent economically developed.

Those surveyed are almost evenly split on several other issues, such as racism, abortion, homosexuality and foreigners. On this last issue, 87.3 percent feel their numbers are growing.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news