This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/6695773.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Local test for Spain's Socialists | Local test for Spain's Socialists |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Spaniards are voting in local and regional elections. | |
| National issues - like the on-going violence in the Basque region and corruption in urban planning - have featured strongly in the campaigning. | National issues - like the on-going violence in the Basque region and corruption in urban planning - have featured strongly in the campaigning. |
| For the first time, many British and German expatriates are standing as anti-corruption candidates. | For the first time, many British and German expatriates are standing as anti-corruption candidates. |
| The vote is the first real test of the popularity of Spain's Socialist government since it came to power in general elections in March 2004. | The vote is the first real test of the popularity of Spain's Socialist government since it came to power in general elections in March 2004. |
| The election came three days after train bomb attacks in Madrid that killed 191 people. | The election came three days after train bomb attacks in Madrid that killed 191 people. |
| Spaniards are deciding the political make-up of more than 8,000 town councils and most of the country's regional governments. | Spaniards are deciding the political make-up of more than 8,000 town councils and most of the country's regional governments. |
| This vote follows the national government's first major set-back. In December, a bomb attack by the militant separatist group Eta put an end to Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Basque peace process. | This vote follows the national government's first major set-back. In December, a bomb attack by the militant separatist group Eta put an end to Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's Basque peace process. |
| Planning corruption | Planning corruption |
| The main opposition, the conservative Popular Party, wants to capitalise on that failure at the polling booths. | The main opposition, the conservative Popular Party, wants to capitalise on that failure at the polling booths. |
| Their leader, Mariano Rajoy, says the government has given in to Eta and is allowing Basque political parties linked to its illegal political wing, Batasuna, to field candidates in the Basque region. | Their leader, Mariano Rajoy, says the government has given in to Eta and is allowing Basque political parties linked to its illegal political wing, Batasuna, to field candidates in the Basque region. |
| The government rejects the accusation, referring to the Supreme Court's ban of more than 100 lists of candidates linked to Batasuna. | The government rejects the accusation, referring to the Supreme Court's ban of more than 100 lists of candidates linked to Batasuna. |
| Corruption in town planning is another big issue. | Corruption in town planning is another big issue. |
| This problem is a catalyst behind a number of new political groups. For the first time, independent political parties with more non-Spanish than Spanish candidates, including many Britons and Germans, are taking part in elections. | This problem is a catalyst behind a number of new political groups. For the first time, independent political parties with more non-Spanish than Spanish candidates, including many Britons and Germans, are taking part in elections. |
| But the main political battle is between the Socialist party and the Popular Party. Surveys show that these elections are likely to be very close. | But the main political battle is between the Socialist party and the Popular Party. Surveys show that these elections are likely to be very close. |