Spain's Catholic Church and its role in politics continues to be an issue as Spaniards prepare to vote in an election on March 9. Following are some key facts about the Church.
- Thousands of priests and nuns were killed around the time of the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War. Last year, Pope Benedict XVI beatified 498 "martyrs" of the Civil War.
- After the war, the church was a pillar of General Francisco Franco's dictatorship at least until the 1960s when a more liberal attitude led to confrontations with the government.
- Spain's democratic constitution defines Spain as a lay state. A state religion is prohibited but the authorities are encouraged to take into account the beliefs of Spaniards and maintain relations with "the Catholic Church and other churches."
- According to official polls, the number of people who regularly go to church has fallen to under 25 percent from 75 percent in 1974.
- The Catholic Church is partly financed from contributions taken direct from the public's taxes. About one third of taxpayers choose to pay a contribution which adds up to about 150 million euros each year, according to the Spanish Bishops Conference.
- This year, the system will change. The church will receive about one third more from taxpayers but in return has agreed to start paying VAT from which its has been exempt. In 2008, the church is expected to receive a net 153 million euros.
- During the current legislature, the church has clashed with the government on gay marriage and easier divorce and has accused it of entering political negotiations with Basque guerrilla group ETA. In a message to Catholics, the Church advised people not to vote for any party that believed in these policies.
- According to a recent poll in right-wing newspaper El Mundo, 34 percent of people thought the Church's pre-election note would benefit the opposition Popular Party in the election. This confirms other polls which find that about one third of Spaniards pay attention to what the Church says.
- On March 4, the Spanish Bishops' Conference elected Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, Archbishop of Madrid, as its new chairman. Rouco is a hard-line bishop who has led demonstrations against the government.
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