National
Continuing concern in the Partido Popular on the leadership of Mariano Rajoy
By h.b.
May 5, 2008 - 2:42 PM

El Mundo today continues a line of articles questioning the leadership of the Partido Popular by Mariano Rajoy. As the internal debate continues in the party ahead of a party congress in Valencia next month, the newspaper claims that Rajoy is hanging on to a reduced number of faithful supporters in the party, and that there is an increasing sensation that he has lost control and will not be the party’s candidate at the next general election in 2012, whatever happens at the congress next month.

The paper claims that Manuel Pizarro, the ex Chairman of power company Endesa, made comments in the toilets of the Congress building to Federico Trillo, saying that he had not come into politics for money or fame. He had already earned more money and relevance than he wanted, but that he was prepared for Rajoy to mistreat him. That comes after Rajoy only offered him a second line post in the opposition’s shadow cabinet.

El Mundo claims that the previous leader of the party, José María Aznar, could be feeling the bitter sensation that he made a mistake in the choice of his successor, given that he has publically criticised, to top members of the party, Rajoy’s performance and actions after losing the General Election.

Meanwhile there are reports that the Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is preparing a reduced reform of the Spanish Constitution which he hopes would be acceptable to the opposition. It would include the reform of the Senate and also in the line of succession to the throne, bringing sexual equality into the monarchy. El País reports that discrete talks on the matter are set to start between the Government and the Partido Popular today.

There are also reported signs of unrest in the PSOE Socialist party over how the regions are funded. Top party members are reported by El País to be protesting about the demands made by the party’s leader in Cataluña, José Montilla. The paper says the Minister for the Economy, Pedro Solbes, is looking for what is described as ‘a socialist and constitutional’ solution to the problem.