Interesting times

If you judge the Spanish general election on turnout at voter rallies in Palma then the radical anti-austerity party, Podemos, is on course for election victory. Pablo Iglesias, the leader of Podemos, which was born out of the anti-austerity movement in Spain, attracted 5,000 people at his rally in Palma, Pedro Sanchez of the Spanish Socialist Party got about 1,500 in Inca last weekend Albert Rivera of Cuidadanos got about the same in Palma and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy got about 500. So Iglesias is the clear winner? Well not according to the opinion polls. The latest survey suggests that Mariano Rajoy’s  Partido Popular will win the election but will not secure an overall majority. Rajoy needs to win and win big otherwise he could leave the door open for a left-wing coalition similar to the one which governs the Balearics. The Spanish premier, bidding for his second term in office, has been making a series of election promises to cut taxes after the election. Rajoy has failed to take part in any of the election TV debates of recent weeks, and the big debate last Monday was won by the leader of Podemos, according to opinion polls. Recent surveys had suggested that support for the anti-austerity party was in decline. However, it does appear that they are having a good election campaign. The clock is ticking and with just a few days left in the election campaign the result is probably too close to call, despite what the polls say. Interesting times in Spain.