Spanish anti-war feeling 'grows'

Spanish anti-war feeling 'grows'

By Danny Wood
BBC, Madrid

Anti-war protests have been going on for weeks

Spain's Centre for Sociological Investigations (CIS) has found that anti-war feeling in the country is running at peak levels.

Its latest survey suggests that 91% of Spaniards are against the military action taking place in Iraq.

Until now, most surveys have put the figure closer to 80%.

The publicly funded CIS works directly to the government of Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and regularly tests opinion on social issues.

SPANISH MOOD

91% against military action

70% for Spanish neutrality

60% say government is doing bad job on Iraq

58% believe Iraq has weapons of mass destruction

But this is the first time its barometer of public opinion has asked Spaniards a series of questions on Iraq.

Nearly 70% of the 2,500 people surveyed think Spain should be neutral in the conflict.

Sixty percent ticked boxes indicating their government is doing a bad job dealing with the crisis.

But 58% believe Iraq does have weapons of mass destruction.

Meanwhile, an unusual display of anti-war sentiment - many hundreds of people in Madrid spent one hour leaning out of their apartment windows, banging together pots and pans.

Thousands continue to take to the streets across Spain to protest against the war.