Right-Wing Party Leads Polls in El Salvador

SAN SALVADOR (EFE) – TheRepublican National Alliance (ARENA),the right-wing party that has governed ElSalvador since 1989, is again ahead in thevoter intention polls heading into thecountry’s legislative and municipal electionsnext March, according to a CID Galluppoll published this week in thedaily El Diario de Hoy.The poll revealed that 34% of thosesurveyed said they would vote ARENA,while 14% answered they would vote forthe recently divided former revolutionaryparty, the Farabundo Martí NationalLiberation Front (FMLN).On March 12 of next year,Salvadorans will elect 84 national lawmakersto the National Assembly, as wellas mayors for the 262 municipalities inthe country.The other four minority parties togetherhave 10% of the voter intention.President Tony Saca, who assumed thepresidency in June of 2004 after winningon the ARENA ticket, continues to enjoya 60% approval rating amongSalvadorans.