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26 April 2004
MADRID – More than two-thirds of Spaniards back the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, according to a poll published Monday.
The poll for the Spanish daily El Mundo found 67 percent of Spaniards supported the decision by prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to recall Spanish troops from Iraq.
The poll also found that more than a quarter of those who voted for the former conservative Popular Party government – which originally sent Spanish troops to the Gulf war – now agreed they should be brought home.
Many of the opinion poll results showed general approval for Zapatero’s new government.
It found 71 percent of those questioned believed the Socialist leader will be a good leader.
But only 36 percent agreed with Zapatero’s decision not to implement the controversial Quality Law which links educational establishments to formal religious teaching. This was introduced by the previous right-wing government.
The poll also found that only 32 percent of Spaniards supported the Socialists’ opposition to the National Hydrological Plan, which would divert water from the River Ebro in the north-east to areas in the south which have problems with water supply.
Ecologists have claimed it will damage the river delta.
But there was overwhelming support for an inquiry into the 11 March terrorist attacks.
Eighty-one percent said they supported a similar inquiry to the investigation being held in the United States into the 11 September atrocities.
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters from more than 60 unions, leftist political parties, pacifist organisations and student groups marched Sunday from Madrid to a military base at Torrejon de Ardoz calling for an end to the occupation of Iraq.
The 11-kilometre (7-mile) march to Torrejon, site of a US air base until 1992, was held “not only to call for the departure of Spanish troops from Iraq, but also an end to Nato and the occupation of Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Palestine,” organiser Oscar Gallego said.
[Copyright EFE with Expatica]
Subject: Spanish news