National
Mariano Rajoy names his new number two in the Partido Popular
By h.b.
Jun 20, 2008 - 7:25 AM

María Dolores de Cospedal replaces Ángel Acebes and becomes the first woman to hold the post. She comes from being the President of the party in the region of Castilla-La Mancha.
The move is being seen as combining experience with removation in the party.

Rajoy also named Ana Mato as Organisation Deputy Secretary, and González Pons as Spokesman and Deputy Secretary for Communication. Javier Arenas, the head of the P.P. in Andalucía has been named as Territorial Deputy Secretary.

Mariano Rajoy has been holding his cards very close to his chest, and has named his shadow team the day before the party meets for its Congress in Valencia at 4pm this afternoon.

All the indications are that the Congress will be a quiet affair with no leadership challenge to Mariano Rajoy. Even Esperanza Aguirre, the regional president of Madrid, said yesterday that she would be supporting Rajoy at the congress.