67% Spaniards support decision to withdraw troops from Iraq

According to a survey published today by El Mundo, 67% Spaniards support Zapatero's decision to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq, while 23% disagree with the withdrawal. The survey was carried out last week, when international criticism of the Spanish government's decision was at its height, so it is quite interesting that such a big majority does support Zapatero.

According to the results of this first major survey carried out by El Mundo (a newspaper which is traditionally pro-Popular Party and whose owner and Director is a close friend of Jose Maria Aznar), the PSOE party will win 45.1% of the votes in eht European elections to be held next month (a big improvement on the socialists' performance in the last European elections four years ago when they won 35,3% of the votes). 39.2% of the people consulted in the survey said they would vote for The Popular Party in the European elections.

Meanwhile the ABC publishes today an article written by Aznar in which the former president of Spain fiercely attacks the decision of Zapatero to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq, claiming it is an act of irresponsibility and will be interpreted by the terrorists as a victory. Aznar knows only too well that withdrawal was one of the Socialist's objectives from the moment Spanish troops were sent to Iraq to help find the weapons of mass destruction and defeat Saddam Husein. Nevertheless, the argument he puts forward in the article published today is expected to be the PP's main line of attack in the run up to the European elections.