Voting under the shadow of terror

José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and his wife Sonsoles Espinosa cast their ballots at a Madrid polling station yesterday.
Photograph: Reuters

SPAIN: The suspected Eta murder of a politician has focused minds on democratic values.

More than 30 million Spaniards went to the polls yesterday to choose their new government. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the socialist prime minister for the past four years, faced the conservative Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy.

The election was for the 350 deputies to the lower house of the Cortes (parliament), and 208 senators to the upper house, and in Andalucia they were also electing members of the autonomous regional parliament.

Politicians in an often angry campaign sparred over the economy, once so healthy, but now showing worrying signs of slow down.

Inflation and unemployment are rising to levels not seen for almost a decade, and the PP caused controversy when it called for restrictions on immigration.

Election day passed off peacefully with only a few minor incidents, such as the late arrival or non-appearance of invigilators to open the polling stations or arriving to find the locks stuffed with silicone.

Polling stations were in school buildings, sports halls, social clubs and, in some smaller towns, in the local bar. In one village, north of Madrid, with a population of only 10 people, they had all voted within 30 minutes of opening and retired to the cafe for breakfast. For the first time, papers were available in braille for the blind, and there were interpreters for the deaf. More than a million Spaniards resident in Latin America and other overseas countries cast their votes through the embassies or by post.

Mr Zapatero and his wife voted early in the school nearest their official residence. They were greeted outside by a crowd of supporters chanting "presidente, presidente!" and a smaller group who opposed him shouted "liar, traitor!" Mr Rajoy arrived with his wife at their polling station in a church school on the outskirts of Madrid. He was greeted by a few loyal supporters.

Both leaders called on the electorate to vote. "Spain is stronger if there is democracy, and democracy is stronger if the people vote," said Mr Zapatero. In spite of their pleas, only just over 60 per cent, some 2 per cent fewer than four years ago, decided to vote.

But hanging over what should have been a peaceful display of democracy was the shadow cast by the murder on Friday of Isaías Carrasco, a former socialist town councillor in the Basque town of Mondragón.

Anti-terrorist police believe Mr Carrasco was shot in cold blood by a well-trained gunman using a 9mm pistol of a kind favoured by Eta. They have issued a description of a man they want to interview and of his getaway car.

Hundreds of mourners, including representatives of all political parties, massed in the square of this small Basque town on Saturday morning to pay their respects and to mourn with his family.

There were moments of tension when Mr Rajoy and other PP officials arrived at Mondragón town hall where Mr Carrasco's coffin was lying. They were told they were not welcome.

The most moving moment came when Sandra, Mr Carrasco's 20-year-old daughter, showing enormous self-control, read a message of gratitude with a plea that his death should not be manipulated by politicians.

"My father was murdered for defending freedom, democracy and his socialist ideas. He was a brave man who was not afraid to show his face. Those who killed him are cowards, cowards who have no balls ... I am very proud of my father and those who killed him are bastards. Nothing more. I love him."

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times