National
In party problems increase for Mariano Rajoy
By h.b.
May 2, 2008 - 7:22 AM

A group of convention delegates in the Partido Popular are reported to be in rebellion with the leadership of Mariano Rajoy and have criticised the ‘immobility’ of the party.
The group of party activists from the Salamanca district of Madrid have said the party has become ‘self-compliant’ and have launched a manifesto which calls for a primary system to be used to elect not only the party leader but also the heads of the individual candidate lists.

They claim that there has been an increasing distance between Spanish society and the political parties, and the group says they will start collecting signatures in support for their proposal from people in the street from Monday. Internet polls have already shown that the public would be in favour of such elections.

The new campaign also has launched a website www.primariaspp.com

Eduardo Zaplana - Photo EFE

Meanwhile there are also reports, in El País this morning, that several PP deputies have said they will support Eduardo Zaplana as an alternative leader in a challenge to Mariano Rajoy. The paper says the rebellion started on March 31 after Rajoy had named Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría as party spokesperson in Congress, and has the support of some 30 PP deputies.