Notes of the Debate Round 2

Notes of the Debate Round 2 between 2 of the candidates for Prime Minister of Spain.
Zapatero, of Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE).
Rajoy, of People's Party (PP).

Apologies for any mistakes. Words between [] are mine.

Block 1: Economy

Z: Tonight I'll explain PSOE's project to overcome the global crisis and enhance the social development. To have a safe Spain, for the culture, convivence and a united country. I want a clean debate with solutions. I have a white book with my data.
R: Lots of Spaniards don't live well. When we talk about politics or economy, we talk about people. Immigration isn't controlled and Spaniards don't have their rights assured. PSOE got the priorities wrong: negotiate with ETA and change Spain.
Z: Economy goes better than Europe's average. PSOE will achieve "full employment" with an agreement to face the world crisis and lots of proposals to control prices and work. PP provokes fear among the socialist for them not to vote.
R: Spain does not work well and Eurostat says so. With PSOE, lots of inflation and unemployment. PSOE has not reformed and the inercy from PP's government is now over. Financial Times says that Spain is a disaster.
Z: Rajoy didn't care about prices up to election time. PSOE will create an "Observatory of Prices" to control them as in France [more intervention!]. Prices went up more with PP.
R: The first question I asked ZP was about economy. Average salary have gone down with PSOE. There are lots of observatories already, PSOE has lived out of PP's heritage. PP's proposals: to decrease public spending.
Z: Rajoy's first question wasn't about economy. PSOE will create 2m jobs, will increase the minimum pensions and the minimum salary a lot. UN's Human Development Index for Spain was good with PSOE and bad with PP.
R: With PSOE, poverty and wealth gap have gone up. PP will fix it again, proposals: Income Tax for under €16K will be nil, Corporation Tax will decrease, more education, more women working, non-interventionist regulators.
Z: Rajoy's first question wasn't on economy. Rajoy has not cared about economy at all.
R: Zapatero was the Prime Minister and has not cared about the economy. ZP has lived out of PP's heritage. PP will fix it again.

Block 2: Social policies

Z: Rajoy betrays Spaniards. PSOE has spent a lot in public spending: Dependency Act, equality between men and women in salary, motherhood and fatherhood period will be enlengthened. Nurseries for everyone.
R: Zapatero promises but does not makes his word good. To have a good social policy, we need a good economy and control the immigration. We need to pay attention to everyone, to Spaniards and immigrants.
Z: PSOE cares about the social policy; PP doesn't. PP forgets social dialogue and agreements. PSOE supports the social dialogue and will decrease temping. PP is "order and command"; PSOE is "dialogue".
R: PSOE has no immigration policy. PP supports the Dependency Act properly. PISA report says that education is a failure.
Z: Immigrant can come to work here, but we need: 1st, they don't go out from their countries; 2nd, border control; and 3rd, to give illegal immigrants back to their countries. Immigrantion must be a European policy and helps Spain's development.
R: Europe's policy of PSOE is a tale. Legal immigration is OK, but we have to fight against the illegal immigration. Zapatero also said that Spaniards shouldn't be left without rights to give it to an immigrant.
Z: Rajoy isn't credit-worthy. With PP, lots of illegal immigrants and they were given papers with a simple receipt.
R: With PSOE, there is an avalanche. Europe complained about PSOE's "regularisation".

Block 3: Foreign and Security policies

Z: PSOE will support Spain's Government in its anti-terrorist policy. With PSOE, offences are low and there are a lot of policemen. PSOE will promote a Plan against domestic violence and against drugs at schools.
R: PP will support Spain's government if it fights ETA and if it does not negotiate with ETA. PSOE lied to Spain and negotiated politically with ETA.
Z: PP uses terrorism, even to go to Irak. PSOE took the troops away from Irak and won't send them to illegal wars. PP would support Spain's government.
R: Zapatero said that he wasn't going to bring back the troops straight away. UN resolution encouraged sending troops to Irak and PSOE was in favour of this resolution.
Z: PSOE makes his word good. PP doesn't care what Spaniards want. PSOE supports Armed Forces. PP was against 11-M judicial process.
R: PP caught all 11-M terrorists. PSOE lied Spaniards about terrorism. Zapatero has to say sorry.
Z: Rajoy said that islamic terrorism and ETA will be linked and he didn't accept the 14-M results.
R: PSOE uses the dead people. ETA was weakened when PP left government.

Block 4: Institutional policy

Z: PSOE works for the territorial cohesion in Spain. In 2020 there will be lots of highways and High-Speed Trains (AVEs). There will be 3 Presidents' Conferences.
R: My first question was about VAT. PSOE has put PP's projects on halt and PSOE's Public Works Minister is the first one who has been told off by the Parliament. PSOE has put Spaniards and regions against each others.
Z: Rajoy's first question was about the lack of co-ordination between ministers. PSOE is the central axis to Spain's democracy [confirmed, democracy for PSOE means Russian-styled One-Party democracy.] PSOE talks with everyone.
R: PSOE has been against Catalonia. Rajoy has gone to Andalucia and Basque Country. PP is in the centre of Spain. PSOE has inaugurated PP's projects. There are two break-away referendums.
Z: PP had a debt with Andalucia and PSOE gave money to Andalucia. Language policy in Catalonia is 20-year-old and PP didn't do anything. PP puts territories against each other and PP has no coherence.
R: Zapatero agrees with fining Spaniards for sign-posting in Spanish. PP will put a law to study in Spanish everywhere in Spain. PSOE has no idea of Spain.
Z: PP didn't defend the Spanish when it ruled.
R: Zapatero supports fines against the Spanish. PP supported the Statutes and with PSOE is being the first Statute without the support of both largest political parties. PSOE is a failure.

Block 5: Challenges of the future.

Z: Education is the future and PSOE puts money to create quality with maths, English and grants. PSOE will put Spanish universities between the world's top ten. PISA Report says that Spain is on the average of the developed world and criticises PP's education policy [What a lie! Education laws in Spain have been PSOE's since 1980s and they are a complete failure].
R: PISA Report criticises LOGSE and PSOE repealed PP's Quality of Education Act immediately showing how little of democrats they have. Education has to be based on merits, work and effort. House prices have gone up and we need a Housing Agreement.
Z: PISA report criticises PP's education policy. [PP tried to improve education with the Quality of Education Act and PSOE manipulated the students to oppose it. I saw it first hand and PSOE's activist behaviour was disgusting]. PP denigrates the education system that has put Spain where it is [Exactly, PSOE's education system is a disaster as any honest student can tell you and it will ultimately cause Spain's decline]. Land prices went up five-fold with land's liberalisation [Zapatero is going to beat the record of lies: PP didn't liberalised the land and that is something libertarians have always complained about].
R: Bank of Spain says that Spain earn less with PSOE. Zapatero lies: there was no liberalisation of land with PP. PSOE passed the Education Act and the following day Zapatero kicked out the Minister of Education, does anyone understand why? Zapatero is out of the reality.
Z: Esperanza Aguirre (Region of Madrid's President) wants to get rid of council flats. Spain has democracy since only 30 years ago and we still have to catch up with Europe. With PSOE, lots of internet connections and researchers on aero-space, renewable energy and bio-tech.
R: Some East Europe countries have been a democracy for a shorter period than Spain, but they rank better in PISA Report. PSOE talks big but does nothing. PSOE puts PP's projects on halt to inaugurate them later. PP will invest in infrastructure, education and R+D.
Z: PSOE bets for the power savings to fight against the climate change. PSOE will have a rural programme and a water plan.
R: PP will bet for education and infrastructure. With PSOE, negotiations of agriculture in Europe were a disaster. PP supports the Water Plan.

Last words

Z: Thanks to those who voted me and to those who criticise me. I ask for your support because I am committed to end with all discrimination, to sustainable development, to education, peace and Europe. The future is convivence. I'll rule for everyone. Good night and good luck.
R: Spain is a great Nation of free, equal citizens. It will be a time for consensus. I'll offer PSOE a pact on terrorism and social policy. I'll rule with all Spaniards. My objectives are economy above all, working women and education and tax reforms. PP defends the State of Autonomies, but we have to do it well. That girl who grows in Spain is always in my mind and my heart.

[Love and freedom.]