Unemployment, corruption main worries for Spaniards

Corruption is once again the second biggest worry for Spaniards according to the latest study published by the Center of Sociological Investigation on Friday. The monthly study of the CIS is a good barometer of the mood of the nation and also in some measure a reflection of the stories which have made the headlines in Spain over the preceding month. However, in a country where the number of people out of work standing at almost 5 million or over 6 million according to varying figures by the Ministry of Employment and the National Institute of Statistics, unemployment is still the main worry for the Spanish. This comes despite recent falls in the number of people out of work as a result of the short-term jobs created by the arrival of the tourist season. Unemployment was cited as a problem by 80.5 percent of those asked, a slight fall from the 82.4 percent of the previous month, but still clearly viewed as the main problem for the country. However, the continued presence of corruption cases such as the "Barcenas" case involving the former treasurer of the ruling Popular Party, the Gurtel Curruption scandal and the Noos Scandal in which Inaki Urgangarin, the son-in-law of King Juan Carlos of Spain, and the King's youngest daughter, Cristina de Bourbon are supposedly involved, as well as a scandal involving the payment of false unemployment compensation in the region of Andalusia means that the problem is now firmly lodged in the Spanish mentality. 32.5 percent of Spaniards now see corruption as a problem, an increase from 30.7 percent the previous month, allowing corruption to leapfrog the overall economic situation in Spain as the second most important preoccupation in the country. The Spanish are clearly not impressed by their politicians either, with the overall political situation given as the fourth biggest worry and mentioned by 29.7 percent of those asked. Meanwhile, only 15 percent of those asked think that the economic situation will improve in 2014, despite predictions which expect a timid return to growth next year after the economy contracts by 1.3-1.5 percent during 2013 and 89.6 percent of those asked say the economic situation is either "bad" or "very bad." Other worries to a lesser degree are the condition of the Spanish education system and the public health system.