Notes for �Spain�
1. After winning the election in March 2004, Zapatero's socialist government
[...] plans an entire programme of social reform, including equality for homosexuals, allowing women to inherit the Spanish throne, liberalising abortion laws, lifting restrictions on embryo research and cracking down on domestic violence.
In July, the Church struck back, springing an ambush on Mr Zapatero when he accompanied King Juan Carlos to the annual national offering at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. With 52 clergymen looking on, the Archbishop of Santiago, Julian Barrio, let loose a withering denunciation, accusing Mr Zapatero of perverting the natural order.
He declared that marriage was “essentially heterosexual” and that the Church had every right to interfere in national politics “in cases of people's fundamental rights, or the salvation of souls.”
Then on 24 September 2004 plans by of Zapatero's government were revealed to scrap the Church's “privileged position in society”.
“Funding for Church to be slashed by Spanish”, Telegraph, 2004-09-25. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/1472620/Funding-for-Church-to-be-slashed-by-Spanish.html
2. “Turbulent priests”, New Humanist, September/October 2004. http://newhumanist.org.uk/787
3. “The bitter struggle for the soul of Spain”, Catholic Herald, 2008-03-07, Page 8. http://archive.catholicherald.co.uk/article/7th-march-2008/8/the-bitter-struggle-for-the-soul-of-spain
4. “Proposed Spanish abortion restrictions show what pro-life pressure can do”, Life Site News, 2014-01-13 http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/proposed-spanish-abortion-restrictions-show-what-pro-life-pressure-can-do
Ashifa Kassam, “Spain's tough new abortion law advances after secret vote”, Guardian, 2014-02-12. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/12/spain-tough-new-abortion-law-secret-vote
5. “Losing their religion? New report shows Spaniards are turning their backs on faith”
Nearly one-third of people in Spain are either atheists, agnostics or non-believers, according to a study by the Ferrer i Guàrdia Foundatio. El Pais, 2019-04-15. https://elpais.com/elpais/2019/04/12/inenglish/1555056887_664300.html
