This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/07/spain-mariano-rajoy-seeks-reelection

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Under-fire Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy to seek re-election Under-fire Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy to seek re-election
(about 1 hour later)
Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has said he will seek another term in office in upcoming general elections, even as he fends off criticism of his party’s lacklustre performance in a key political year. Spain’s prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, has said he will seek another term in office in the forthcoming general elections, even as he fends off criticism of his party’s lacklustre performance in a key political year.
“I would like to be a candidate and become prime minister again,” Rajoy told the public broadcaster Radio Nacional de España, in his first public statement of his candidacy for elections due by the end of the year. “I would like to be a candidate and become prime minister again,” Rajoy told the public broadcaster Radio Nacional de España, in his first public statement of his candidacy for elections due this year.
In elections in Andalusia last month, support for his conservative People’s party fell from 40% in 2012 to 27%, the PP’s worst result in the region since 1990.In elections in Andalusia last month, support for his conservative People’s party fell from 40% in 2012 to 27%, the PP’s worst result in the region since 1990.
As party leaders struggled to explain the results, publicly they called for reflection and self-criticism. Privately they took aim at Rajoy, asking if he was out of touch with Spaniards and whether it was time for an overhaul of the party. As party leaders struggled to explain the results, they called publicly for reflection and self-criticism. Privately they took aim at Rajoy, asking if he was out of touch with Spaniards and whether it was time for an overhaul of the party.
On Tuesday 600 officials from the party gathered in Madrid for a special meeting of the national executive to address demands for reform.On Tuesday 600 officials from the party gathered in Madrid for a special meeting of the national executive to address demands for reform.
In a nod to the grumblings of members who worry that the PP’s hold on 11 regional governments and 3,500 municipalities is in jeopardy in local elections due in two months’ time, Rajoy recently acknowledged that the party must “correct what needs to be corrected”.In a nod to the grumblings of members who worry that the PP’s hold on 11 regional governments and 3,500 municipalities is in jeopardy in local elections due in two months’ time, Rajoy recently acknowledged that the party must “correct what needs to be corrected”.
Monday’s interview with public radio was widely seen as a first step towards making these corrections. It was the prime minister’s fifth interview of 2015 to date, compared with the mere three he gave during the whole of last year. Monday’s interview with public radio was widely seen as a first step towards making these corrections. It was the prime minister’s fifth interview of 2015, compared with three during the whole of last year.
Rajoy’s election strategy so far has consisted of trumpeting Spain’s economic recovery – a tough sell for the many Spaniards who continue to suffer the lingering effects of the downturn and the €150bn of cutbacks made by his government. From the one in four Spaniards who remains unemployed to the many newly employed who survive on precarious part-time contracts, the disconnect has created fertile ground for the rise of the anti-austerity party Podemos. Rajoy’s election strategy so far has consisted of trumpeting Spain’s economic recovery – a tough sell for the many Spaniards who continue to suffer the lingering effects of the downturn and the €150bn (£110bn) of cutbacks made by his government. From the one in four Spaniards who remain unemployed to the many newly employed who survive on precarious part-time contracts, the disconnect has created fertile ground for the rise of the anti-austerity party Podemos.
Rajoy has also been unable to fully untangle his party from the hooks of several high-profile corruption scandals. In 2013 he and other high-ranking members were implicated in a kickbacks scandal after El País published account ledgers allegedly showing illegal cash payments made to them. Recently a judge found that the party ran a secret slush fund for 18 years. The party’s failure to move past the allegations has driven corruption-weary voters to Ciudadanos, a centre-right party.Rajoy has also been unable to fully untangle his party from the hooks of several high-profile corruption scandals. In 2013 he and other high-ranking members were implicated in a kickbacks scandal after El País published account ledgers allegedly showing illegal cash payments made to them. Recently a judge found that the party ran a secret slush fund for 18 years. The party’s failure to move past the allegations has driven corruption-weary voters to Ciudadanos, a centre-right party.
Rajoy has sought to play the experience card, painting the Spain’s economic improvement as the fruit of tough decisions made by his government during the depths of the economic crisis. “Last year we saw jobs being created, after seven years of jobs being destroyed,” he recently told reporters. Consumer confidence is on the up, matched by a Spanish economy that grew 1.4% in 2014, its first full year of growth since 2008. Rajoy has sought to play the experience card, painting Spain’s economic improvement as the fruit of tough decisions made by his government during the depths of the economic crisis. “Last year we saw jobs being created, after seven years of jobs being destroyed,” he said recently. Consumer confidence is on the up, matched by a Spanish economy that grew 1.4% in 2014, its first full year of growth since 2008.
In this critical electoral year, Rajoy said the challenge now lay in showing rather than telling Spaniards about the recovery. “Now the objective, having overcome the crisis, is to have the recovery reach all Spaniards,” he said.In this critical electoral year, Rajoy said the challenge now lay in showing rather than telling Spaniards about the recovery. “Now the objective, having overcome the crisis, is to have the recovery reach all Spaniards,” he said.