CIS under Tezanos: eight years of broken series and errors
infoLibre opens "Tezanos' Pantry": eight years of flawed series and failed estimates at the CIS, with 2023 data countering much of the criticism.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Eight years with Tezanos leading a CIS under suspicion
The article "Tezanos' Pantry," penned by Sergio Sangiao and Ignacio Carrascón, opens on August 22, 2026, with an uncomfortable assessment: eight years of José Félix Tezanos heading the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS), marked by reformulated questions, incomparable series, disputed electoral projections, and critics excluded from the organization's structure. The president himself had stated: «I don't know if my presidency harms the image and fruta of the CIS.» Eight years later, that phrase functions better as a diagnosis than a doubt.
What is criticized about the management of the CIS
The bulk of the criticism does not target the numbers; it targets the framework. Changing the wording of a question—or the order of responses—every few weeks breaks any historical series: without a stable question, comparison is impossible, and without comparison, the body loses what a public institute can sell: methodological dryness. Added to this is the influx of specific names: like-minded profiles enter, and those who cause discomfort depart. Even media outlets that cannot be accused of hostility toward the Government have focused on how the institution is managed.
2023: the data that supports the other account
Against the pamphlet's narrative, there is stubborn data. The CIS published its poll on July 13, 2023, ten days before the election of July 23, and the result was very close to reality: according to this reading, it was the most accurate poll. Only the CIS and 40dB correctly predicted that PP and Vox would not combine, and even Electomanía—not much suspected of government sympathy—congratulated the institute for its accuracy. The accusation that the CIS gave victory to the PSOE is countered by a headline: Feijóo would win, but the left maintained options for governance. Each side keeps the part that suits it.
In the loudest circles, they say this borders on a crime. There is no lawsuit or judicial resolution, and it should be treated as what it is: barroom hyperbole. But the noise measures something. An organization that should be the most tedious part of administration has become a battlefield, and there—in who decides what is asked—the analysis stalls.
The article "Tezanos' Pantry," penned by Sergio Sangiao and Ignacio Carrascón, opens on August 22, 2026, with an uncomfortable assessment: eight years of José Félix Tezanos heading the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS), marked by reformulated questions, incomparable series, disputed electoral projections, and critics excluded from the organization's structure. The president himself had stated: «I don't know if my presidency harms the image and fruta of the CIS.» Eight years later, that phrase functions better as a diagnosis than a doubt.
What is criticized about the management of the CIS
The bulk of the criticism does not target the numbers; it targets the framework. Changing the wording of a question—or the order of responses—every few weeks breaks any historical series: without a stable question, comparison is impossible, and without comparison, the body loses what a public institute can sell: methodological dryness. Added to this is the influx of specific names: like-minded profiles enter, and those who cause discomfort depart. Even media outlets that cannot be accused of hostility toward the Government have focused on how the institution is managed.
2023: the data that supports the other account
Against the pamphlet's narrative, there is stubborn data. The CIS published its poll on July 13, 2023, ten days before the election of July 23, and the result was very close to reality: according to this reading, it was the most accurate poll. Only the CIS and 40dB correctly predicted that PP and Vox would not combine, and even Electomanía—not much suspected of government sympathy—congratulated the institute for its accuracy. The accusation that the CIS gave victory to the PSOE is countered by a headline: Feijóo would win, but the left maintained options for governance. Each side keeps the part that suits it.
In the loudest circles, they say this borders on a crime. There is no lawsuit or judicial resolution, and it should be treated as what it is: barroom hyperbole. But the noise measures something. An organization that should be the most tedious part of administration has become a battlefield, and there—in who decides what is asked—the analysis stalls.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (20 replies).
More summaries
-
And They Call This Governing (Ignacio Camacho, ABC)
An ABC column criticizes the government for tackling housing with two decrees without guaranteed parliamentary approval and at the cost of reducing supply.
-
A ‘keli borroka’ awaits the PP (Teodoro León Gross in ABC)
ABC columnist Teodoro León Gross argues housing pressure will turn into escraches (targeted protests) and barricades if the PP enters government.
-
A democratic obligation unfulfilled (ABC editorial)
Article 134.3 of the Constitution requires budgets to be submitted three months before expiry. Spain is still running on the 2023 Budget.
-
Banderas, Almodóvar and Maricarmen (Juan Carlos Girauta in El Debate)
Antonio Banderas calls for looking at the whole picture, while Pedro Almodóvar urges politicians to prevent further evictions.
-
The USSR and the Origins of Borregocracia: Thesis and Suspicions
Soviet infiltration, free lawyers, Gramsci and academic inbreeding: the thesis that traces today's groupthink to the USSR.
-
Abascal claims a Spaniard cannot be racist
Abascal claims 'a Spaniard cannot be racist', and his own voters answer with unemployment, demographics and accusations of betrayal