Poll Shows 41% Of Spaniards Want Independent Gibraltar

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

09 April 2002

A recent poll conducted by Spanish daily newspaper, La Vanguardia, has revealed a surprising shift in public opinion over the sovereignty of Gibraltar.

In recent surveys, support for Gibraltarian independence among the Spanish population has hovered at around 25%. However, the poll conducted last week revealed that around 41% of Spaniards are now in favour of granting some form of independence to the Rock.

The sample 27,707 people questioned by the newspaper were given three alternatives: integration of the territory with Spain, joint sovereignty with the United Kingdom, or affording the jurisdiction its independence.

Although 48.9% were in favour of continuing to push for Spanish sovereignty, 41% supported Gibraltar's cries for independence to some degree. However, only 6% of respondents said that they would like the Spanish government to come to a compromise with the British.

The mood among Gibraltar's media was jubilant on Monday, and the results of the survey have been taken as a strong indication that the Spanish government is out of touch with the views of the people on this issue.

The Panorama news service observed that: 'For quite some time now, it has become obvious that many Spaniards do not share the extreme views represented by Madrid in respect of a takeover,' and called the results 'a massive retrograde step for Madrid's hardline policies on Gibraltar'.

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