08/01/2013 00:00
TW
0

Madrid.—The results of a survey carried out by the Centre for Sociological investigation (CIS) revealed yesterday that as many as 52.4 percent of Spaniards want the government to invest in public works programmes and increase social service facilities even though it might mean that earners will have to pay more taxes.

A separate 23.3 percent meanwhile agree with the new Partido Popular government which says that the priority has got to be bringing down the level of public debt, even though there may be further job losses as a result.

The CIS survey, carried out last month indicated that more than 70 percent of Spaniards believe that the economic crisis is going to worsen, whilst 21.9 percent say “the worst is past” and that there is now a “light at the end of the tunnel”.

Spaniards, claimed the CIS, see banks as being largely responsible for the economic crisis - even more so than international factors which have had an impact on the Spanish recession. Those taking part in the survey said that “banks in general” rather than the Bank of Spain specifically, or the national government were to blame for the country's current financial difficulties.

However, 74 percent of Spaniards did acknowledge that the decisions which have been made by Central Government have had considerable influence on the Spanish economy. Only 21.6 percent said that government decisions had very little impact. Most people said that the way out of the crisis is for government to give backing to both public and private enterprise (34.4%), for young people to be found jobs through government promotion (26.8%), and investment in education. (17.9%).