The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, would have recovered from the wear and tear involved in the negotiation and the first procedures of the Amnesty law and would have achieved the electoral victory, according to the January barometer published by the Center for Sociological Research (CIS) yesterday, from which it can be seen that the law of criminal oblivion, which today Thursday goes through a new procedure in Congress, worries Spanish citizens very little, despite the fact that the PP has been their main battle horse against the Executive.
According to the data provided by the survey of the organization led by José Félix Tezanos – based on 4,016 interviews carried out between January 2 and 5, that is to say, shortly after the government mini-crisis to replace Nadia Calviño–, only 2.3% of respondents place the amnesty as one of the three main problems in Spain, a fact which, in addition, represents 1.1 points less than the December barometer showed. The amnesty has moved from 20th position then to 24th position on the list of Spanish concerns. When respondents are asked about issues that affect them personally, only 0.9% spontaneously place this issue in the top three, causing worry to drop to 37th place, out of a list they top economic difficulties, health and problems related to the quality of employment.
From this premise – the low level of concern for the amnesty – it can be understood that the respondents show their electoral preferences for the current president of the Spanish Government, who in this barometer succeeds in overturning the results of July 23 and all more or less recent surveys. The democratic body gives the PSOE 2.3 points more in vote estimation compared to 23-J, so that it would receive the support of 34% of the electorate. On the contrary, the leader of the opposition and president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, would lose almost one point compared to the last elections and would be left with 32% of the votes, and would lose the first position.
Despite a further setback, largely due to the parliamentary split led by Podemos, Sumar would remain in third position with 9.7% of the estimated vote, 2.6 points below the election results and 2.1 points behind below what the CIS granted him in December, before the parliamentary group broke up. On the other hand, those of Ione Belarra would get 2.7% of the votes and their presence in the Chamber would be seriously compromised.
Vox, affected by serious internal tensions, would add two tenths more to its bearish trend compared to the barometer of December and would leave 4.1 points compared to the results of July to obtain 8.3% of the supports; would be in fourth position.
As far as the parties of strict Catalan obedience are concerned, Junts seems to benefit more from supporting the Executive than Esquerra, which does not benefit from governing the Generalitat in a minority. Carles Puigdemont’s party would rise two tenths in vote estimation to 1.5% compared to December, although it would lose a tenth compared to the elections, while those of Oriol Junqueras would leave half a point and fall below their rival pro-independence, up to 1.4%. With respect to the parties of Basque obedience, which will soon face regional elections, EH Bildu (0.9%) would remain slightly ahead of PNB (0.8%).
The survey is round for the interests of Sánchez, since, despite suspending, he surpasses Yolanda Díaz – who used to head the list – as the most highly rated leader with a score of 4.42, only two hundredths above the second vice president and leader of Sumar, who would lose four hundredths, enough for overtaking. The leader of the PP is third with 4.16, while Santiago Abascal closes the ranking with 2.64. In addition, the head of the Executive is preferred by 30.4% of voters as a tenant of Moncloa, while only 16.5% favor the leader of the opposition. Also, Sánchez improves the confidence indices compared to the last barometer, while Feijóo falls. Thus, the general secretary of the PSOE enjoys the trust of 34.7% of respondents and the president of the PP is below with 24.8%. On the contrary, 73.5% of those surveyed say they have little or no confidence in the Galician politician.
The Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, appears as the most highly rated member of the Executive with a 5.3 and, with the head of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, with a 5, they are the only ones who approve. At the bottom of the list is the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, with a 4.23. and the head of Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, with a 4.14.
