Second angry debate for Spain's election hopefuls

2008-03-04T04:24:00.000-08:00

Spain's socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his conservative challenger Mariano Rajoy traded harsh accusations during their second live television debate ahead of Sunday's General Election. In a near repeat of the first debate a week ago, they interrupted each other constantly, accused each other of lying and bickered over the economy.

But the angriest exchange came over terrorism: "Whatever next Sunday's result is, the Socialist Party will support the government of Spain in the fight against terrorism without condition. That is the solemn promise I am making in the name of my party", said Zapatero.

Undeterred, Rajoy reverted to his familiar stamping ground of illegal immigration: "We have to expel all those foreigners that commit crimes even if they've been in Spain for five years. The law has to prohibit massive regularisation. We have to create an immigration agency."

A viewers' poll published immediately after the debate gave Zapatero the lead with 51 percent of those interviewed finding his performance stronger than Rajoy's who was backed by 29 percent.

The last opinion polls before Sunday's election gave Zapatero's governing Socialists a lead of about four percentage points over Rajoy's opposition Popular Party. But analysts say Spaniards seem unlikely to be swayed by arguments from either side. Support for the two main parties has remained largely unchanged throughout the campaign.

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Second angry debate for Spain's election hopefuls