For a moment it seemed that Mariano Rajoy had a rival to be leader of the Partido Popular (PP). María Cristina Castro, an ordinary member of the PP took Rajoy at his word with his challenge to all comers and announced that she would contest the post. The Spanish pioneer of insulting people and getting well paid for it, Federico Jimenez Losantos, then decided that Castro was the kind of easy target he likes and set about ridiculing her from his show on the COPE radio station. Castro hit back and phoned the show to protest about her treatment, but following the clash with Losantos it seems she started receiving threatening emails and subsequently decided that maybe being a candidate wasn’t such a great idea. That’s her Andy Warhol 15 minutes of fame over with.
Rumour has it that those appointed to design the new party statutes for the forthcoming PP congress are not going to make it easy for anyone tempted to follow Castro’s example. We can’t have this democracy thing getting out of hand, there are traditions to be respected here. Meanwhile, Rajoy had lunch on Wednesday with someone who has not declared herself as a candidate but who has reportedly said that Mariano will be the first to know should she decide she wants the job. Should she take the plunge, there is already a web page up and running in support of her campaign – esperanza2012.com.
Rumour has it that those appointed to design the new party statutes for the forthcoming PP congress are not going to make it easy for anyone tempted to follow Castro’s example. We can’t have this democracy thing getting out of hand, there are traditions to be respected here. Meanwhile, Rajoy had lunch on Wednesday with someone who has not declared herself as a candidate but who has reportedly said that Mariano will be the first to know should she decide she wants the job. Should she take the plunge, there is already a web page up and running in support of her campaign – esperanza2012.com.
6 comments:
Who was it that said the PP isn't controlled by the far right?
Somethin' is brewing up. No doubt! But whatever happens Rajoy won't be the party's candidate at the next election. I had it from a PP member this week. I hear Aguirre is going for 24 hr shop opening in Madrid. Good for her!
I'm not convinced he won't be the candidate, but it is fairly clear now that Aguirre and her media supporters are not prepared to passively accept it. The problem they have is when to make their move - if they do it now they might lose.
That's the thing. Aguirre might not make it but she could open up the field for candidates with wider support - and a seat in parliament. This looks like a great opportunity for an awful lot of back-stabbing. But I am convinced Rajoy won't make it to the finish line. It just doesn't make sense.
Moscow, I don't see Aguirre acting to open up the field. If she stands it will be for herself, not as a stalking horse for someone else - there is no one else in her faction of the PP that has the profile. That's why its such a big decision for her to stand now or to wait and see if things go badly nearer the election. It does make sense for Rajoy to be the candidate if your surname is Camps or Gallardón (even more so if he loses the next election), and also for the rest of the "anyone but Aguirre" faction.
I agree, but if Aguirre makes the move in June, I don't think others will just stand by and watch.
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