The crisis – or the way it is being handled – is affecting every sector of public spending, so it comes as no surprise to learn that the Ministry of Defence will be cutting troop numbers by 15,000 plus 5,000 civilians employed by the ministry over the next 13 years.

But in immediate terms, where the cuts will be felt will be in Lebanon, which the Spanish Government has decided to pull out its troops from the UN forces there. The contingent was going to be reduced anyway and it was foreseen that 200 of the nearly 1,000 Spanish troops would return home by the end of the year, but with this latest announcement, it is more likely to be up to 50%.

As for Afghanistan, where Spain has 1,500 soldiers, 10% will leave this year with the rest leaving by stages with the withdrawal complete in 2014.

So how do the opposition parties feel about it? The chief opposition party (PSOE) would like explanations to be given in Parliament, whilst the Catalan nationalist party CiU would like to see between 25% and 50% cuts to the military, as opposed the the 13% reduction announced by the ministry.

(News: Spain)