National
Spanish Prime Minister hits back at policy criticism from the Catholic Church
By h.b.
Jan 3, 2008 - 9:19 AM

The Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, has responded to the criticism launched against government policies at a Catholic Church rally in Madrid last Sunday.
Zapatero said that his government was carrying out policies which were supported by the ‘immense majority’ of the Spanish people, and Spain would continue to act in that way.

Making no effort to mask his anger at the Cardinals and Bishops who led the Catholic Church event in the Plaza de Colón, Zapatero reminded them that the Spanish Constitution ensured that there was room for everybody in Spain, that everybody has the right to have rights, whatever they think, and whether they belong to a religion or not. The Prime Minister made his comments at a rally in the Huelva town of Almonte.

The rally in Madrid had criticised both gay marriage and abortion, in line with the opposition against both policies from the Partido Popular. However there has been no change or planned change on abortion legislation from the Socialist Government, and the PP has said that neither policy will be listed for change in their own manifesto for the General Election in March.

A statement from the PSOE Socialist party confirmed that the government had no intention of taking any step backwards, and that in a democratic environment there is no place for legislation regarding faith.