The Catholic church urged Spaniards to vote for political
parties that do not negotiate with violent Basque separatists ETA -
a direct swipe at the policies of the ruling Socialists.
The Church also spoke out against the legalisation of gay marriage
and the reduced importance of religion in the school curriculum,
both reforms carried out by the Socialist government.
"Not all the parties and manifestos are equally compatible with the
faith and Christian life," the Catholic Church's governing body in
Spain said in a statement, without specifically naming parties,
aimed at encouraging people to vote "responsibly".
The PSOE Socialist party hit back, calling the Church out of touch
with Spanish society and pointing out all Spain's premiers had
negotiated with ETA, including former conservative prime minister
Jose Maria Aznar.
"If you shouldn't vote for parties that have talked to ETA, you
shouldn't vote for anyone, because no party fulfils this
requirement," the party said in a statement.
The government ended peace talks after less than a year in 2006
when ETA, which wants independence for Basque territories in Spain
and France, bombed a carpark at Madrid airport, killing two
people.
Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has ruled out
any chance of returning to the negotiating table with ETA if he
wins general elections on March 9.
The spat further strains relations between the ruling PSOE party
and the Catholic Church.
The Socialists accused the Church of campaigning for the
conservative opposition after bishops slammed laws on divorce and
abortion at a mass rally in December.
Spain has become notably less Catholic since the death of dictator
General Francisco Franco in 1975, who the church supported for much
of his rule.
After the return of democracy, church attendance has fallen and attitudes to sex and marriage have become more liberal.