A portrait of Spanish pessimism

Read later

Bankia, apart from bad managers, criminals?

More austerity measures this summer

Praise to the budget minister for the regional austerity

IN THE NEWS

(0/5 | 0 votes)

Antonio Casado.- 06/09/2012

These are not happy times in Spain. The bad economic situation is affecting the population and people are tired after months of budget cuts and talk about an imminent international rescue. Nine out of ten Spaniards say the situation is "bad" or "very bad," according to a recent survey.

A change of government was going to help solve the economic crisis, but the centre-right Popular party government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy that took power in December, will still need to show if they can will lead the country in that direction.

“When people will say ‘I can trust’ the government, there will be investments, and thus, economic recovery, and thus, increased revenues,” Rajoy said in an interview only a few days before he was elected in November.

Now, six months later, Spaniards could hardly be more pessimistic about the country’s situation.

Majority says situation is "bad" or "very bad"

According to a survey published in May by the Center for Sociological Investigations (CIS), as many as 90 percent of the population said that they consider the situation in the country “bad” or “very bad.”

A month earlier, this perception was shared by 88 percent, while four years ago – when the economic bubble burst in the United States, causing alarm in the rest of the world – only 40 percent thought so.

This pessimism has spread to cities and pueblos all over the country and has left only an isolated few with a positive view on the country’s situation.

It doesn't look better when it comes to Spaniards idea about the future. As many as 73 percent believe that in a year the situation will be “the same” or “worse,” which was 3 percent more than in April.

It is not a very good sign that confidence - the most important component needed to get out of the crisis - is lacking.

This article was translated and edited by Stina Lunden.

(0/5 | 0 votes)