Editorials
Not so united
By h.b.
Mar 8, 2008 - 2:34 PM

EDITORIAL COMMENT

If the Partido Popular was not in agreement with the statement drawn up in Congress on Friday afternoon in response to the latest outrage carried out by the Basque Terrorist Group ETA, among all the other democratic parties, union leaders, and employers, then they should not have signed it.

To sign a document which speaks of unity only to immediately afterwards publically criticise the wording of the very same document is not correct behaviour, and when the statement regards the fight against terrorism even less so.

The fight against terrorism is a matter of state and should always be outside the party political playground. The opposition party should always show support for the Government, at least in public. Concerns and differences in opinion and policy should be restricted to private meetings outside the public gaze. Here the behaviour of the José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero when in opposition was exemplary.

But now, just as four years ago when the Partido Popular blamed ETA for the Madrid Train Bombings ahead of the General Election in an attempt to increase their share of the vote, their statement made yesterday was a blatant attempt by the party to use the tragic murder of the ex-Socialist councillor, Isaías Carrasco, in the very same way. The PP was telling voters ‘We have the hardest policy against ETA, Vote for us’.

It is shameful behaviour, and it is only to be hoped that not a single Spaniard changes the way he or she votes tomorrow as a result of yesterday’s tragic events.