Zapatero wins second election debate - polls

Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero won a second televised election debate on Monday, polls showed yesterday, in which he clashed with opposition leader Mariano Rajoy on Basque guerillas, immigration and the economy.

Mr Zapatero, whose governing Socialists have a lead of about four percentage points over Rajoy's Popular Party ahead of Sunday's ballot, has campaigned heavily on his economic record, a point Mr Rajoy questioned following bad news on the economy.

"You are trying to trick the Spanish people," Mr Zapatero said to Mr Rajoy. "You've only worried about the economy in the last few weeks. You are tricking them, you don't care about the economy."

A poll for TV station Cuatro gave Mr Zapatero victory in what was the second of two debates with 50.8 per cent to Mr Rajoy's 29 per cent, while La Sexta had Mr Zapatero winning by 49.2 per cent to 29.8 per cent, with 21 per cent calling it a draw.

Both results for the debate, in which Mr Zapatero and Mr Rajoy both called each other liars, were better for Mr Zapatero than his narrower win a week earlier. Mr Rajoy hit back on the economy, the most important campaign issue since economic activity slowed abruptly, unemployment rose, and inflation hit a record 4.4 per cent in February.

"A majority of Spaniards are not having a good time," Mr Rajoy said. "When we talk about prices, we are talking about people; the situation of families today is worse than four years ago."

After sniping in the first debate a week ago, many commentators had expected the second encounter to concentrate more on concrete policy plans, but there was little new on show.

Mr Zapatero has blamed external factors for the slowdown in Spain and has said the country's budget surplus will act as a cushion. But some economists see growth slowing to two per cent this year in Spain, from 3.5 per cent last year.

Mr Rajoy also accused Mr Zapatero of concentrating on failed policies like his attempt to solve the problem of Basque separatists ETA, who have killed over 800 people over decades of violent action.

Mr Zapatero promised to support the government on ETA, whatever the result of the election and without conditions and challenged Mr Rajoy to say the same.