Spain's socialists and communists yesterday agreed a joint campaign aimed at defeating the ruling right-wing Popular Party in the March 12th general election, party officials said.
The agreement between the Spanish Workers' Socialist Party (PSOE) and the communist-led United Left Coalition (IU) provides for a common election programme and IU support for the socialist leader, Mr Joaquin Almunia, becoming the next prime minister, the IU leader, Mr Alonso Puerta, said.
They also agreed on a joint slate of candidates in Senate elections to be held, Mr Puerta added.
The communists, however, said the whole package was conditional on running joint candidates for the Senate.
Mr Almunia called 10 days ago for the IU to make a pact against the Prime Minister, Mr Jose Maria Aznar. But the People's Party is still favourite to win the election, according to the latest opinion poll, published on Sunday by the Barcelona daily La Vanguardia.