News, February 2004

News Theme: general election

On March 14th a general election will be held. The main parties contesting it are the Partido Popular (conservatives, currently in government) and the Socialist PSOE. The current president (prime minister), José María Aznar, will not stand again and his replacement candidate is Mariano Rajoy. The socialist candidate is José Luís Rodriguez Zapatero. In addition to these parties, the outcome may be swayed by the seats obtained by minority parties, such as the left wing IU alliance or the regional parties of the larger and more independent-minded regions, particularly Catalonia and the Basque Country.

Many are the differences between the parties and the opinions for and against. This election is likely to be one of the bitterest contests since the advent of democracy in the late 1980s (Go Constitution).

The Spanish evangelicals tend to be drawn more to the PSOE than to the PP. Despite evangelicals in other parts of the world being regarded as amongst the most conservative, in Spain the conservatives represent a particularly hard line Catholicism and thus sympathise with limitations on the freedom of religion, or at least special privileges for the RC church. In addition, most evangelicals are not among the wealthiest who have benefitted most from the tax cuts which have kept the economy healthy through the recent years of recession in western lands. Thus, with one exception, they are mostly in favour of the PSOE positions on many policies. The exception, of course, is related to 'progressive' values, as the PSOE stands for relatively free abortion, is pro-homosexuals and so on. Pray as evangelical believers take their right to vote seriously and pray through the complex issues. Pray, also that evangelicals would get more involved in politics at all levels and thus begin to have more of a say in national political life.

More about the government: http://www.prayforspain.com/general/index4.html