According to the latest CIS voter intention poll, the opposition PP party has cut the gap on the ruling socialist party to just 1.5%, or between one to ten seats.

Interestingly though, the same poll gives president Zapatero a highly satisfactory approval rating of 5.36 while PP leader Mariano Rajoy scored just 3.95.

The last time the poll was conducted - in November last year in the midst of the Barcelona fast train crisis - the gap between the two parties stood at 2.3 points, well down on April 2007 (3.5%).

At the 2004 April general election the PSOE won with a 4.8 point margin (42.59% vs 37.71%/ 164 vs 148 seats).