New polling today.

Two new pieces of polling have been published today. The weekly Pulsometro poll by Cadena Ser radio station and the Publiscopio poll by the daily Publico.

Cadena Ser gives PSOE a 7.5 points lead. PSOE will get today 45% of the vote, PP 37.5%, IU 4.5% and a combined 6% to the three big nationalist parties (Catalans CIU and ERC and Basque PNV). These results compared to two weeks ago show PSOE maintaining its 45% share and PP falling 0.5%. Furthermore, Zapatero's personal rating by voters stays at 52% while Rajoy's goes down to 29% of those who approve of his work. When voters are asked who would they prefer to win power in March, 59% believe a change in government isn't necessary and 50% prefer Zapatero to Rajoy.

Publico, on the other side, in this poll has asked voters to evaluate the Government's and Opposition's jobs. The Government falls in all the fields although isn't at bad as it looks. Voters approves Government policy in 8 out of 11 fields and on the 3 that Government policy fails it is only with a 40% approval rate. In terms of swing voters, abstentionists mainly, 60% approve of Government's policy while only 38% does of PP's. It's also worrying for PP the fact that in Madrid, a key constituency for PP to win in March, 60% of voters disaprove of its job, more than the national average (58.9%).

Both of these polls are conducted by PSOE friendly media outlets, so its results should be considered carefully. This last month hasn't been very good for the Government, the terrorist attack in France, the transport crisis in Catalonia, PSOE's equivalent to Madrid for PP, and the economic projections have put them off message a little bit. That's why I would tend to believe more Publico's poll this week than Cadena Ser's. I am still waiting for some right-wing press' polling to contrast with these ones. So far, PSOE is holding ok, but they need a big push to win this election with the big margin Zapatero asked for in his candidacy launch three weeks ago. I presume they're holding their fire, and money, until January. I can't wait for this to start properly and see Zapatero in action 2004 style. Socialist have been avoiding the fight for too long and is about time to speak up to PP's infamous attacks.