José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Spanish prime minister, and opposition leader Mariano Rajoy clashed in their second and final televised debate on Monday night in an exchange that again put economy and immigration at the centre of the March 9 general election.

Viewer polls handed a resounding victory to Mr Zapatero, whose Spanish socialist party (PSOE) is seeking a second four-year term in office. Looking more assured than in last week’s debate – the first of its type in 15 years – the prime minister promised to create 2m jobs, build 150,000 social housing units and increase the minimum wage by 30 per cent.