Leading an opposition party during a time of economic crisis should, in theory, be a straightforward job, with none of the worries and responsibility that governing in such times entails. But in Spain, that’s not the case for Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, who was chosen to continue heading the Socialist Party earlier this year, despite losing the 2011 general elections. Rubalcaba is one of Spanish politics’ canniest figures. Critics confer on him the sinister powers of a Rasputin, due to his alleged ability to manipulate issues and people behind the scenes. But his gift for communicating also puts most of his political colleagues in the shade. One television reporter tells of how, when making … [Read more...] about A dilemma for Spain’s Socialists
Lost
Who knew that a new season of 'Lost' would feature members of the Rajoy Cabinet? I particularly like Luis de Guindos as the enigmatic, sinister John Locke. … [Read more...] about Lost
Assange and Garzón: what took them so long?
The news that Julian Assange has requested the services of Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón to represent him as he seeks political asylum in Ecuador was unexpected, but the teaming up of these two men does, in a way, make perfect sense. Wikileaks founder Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since June. He hopes to be given refuge by the South American country and avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces sexual assault charges and, he claims, the possibility of being handed over to the United States to face accusations of espionage. Assange is a globetrotting maverick who has uncovered corruption and abuse and claims to have been framed by trumped-up legal … [Read more...] about Assange and Garzón: what took them so long?
The regions’ role in the seemingly unstoppable slide towards Spain’s bailout
Spain’s economy minister, Luis de Guindos, has insisted again that Spain will not require a full sovereign bailout. But does anyone believe him? Almost certainly not. During its seven months in power, the government of Mariano Rajoy has been repeatedly forced to backtrack on pledges and resolutions. The promise not to raise taxes has been followed by increases in income tax and VAT. The assertion that social spending would be ring-fenced has been followed by cuts to health and education. And the claim that Spain would not require a bailout for its banks…well, you guessed it. So when Guindos says there won’t be a full-blown bailout, because the Spanish economy is strong enough to withstand … [Read more...] about The regions’ role in the seemingly unstoppable slide towards Spain’s bailout
A slice of Vegas in Spain stirs controversy
It sounds like the answer to the prayers of the Spanish government. A multi-billion-dollar gambling complex led by an American tycoon who promises to bring the glamour of California to Spain and kick-start the country’s struggling economy by creating a quarter of a million jobs. But EuroVegas, as it’s known, is also a scheme that has sparked fears about spiralling crime, prostitution and environmental violations and which has highlighted the age-old tensions between Spain’s two main cities. American casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, with an estimated $25-billion fortune, plans to build a European gambling hub that will include six casinos and 12 hotels. His Las Vegas Sands company says … [Read more...] about A slice of Vegas in Spain stirs controversy
Spain’s true crisis isn’t economic, it’s institutional
As Spain has moved closer to what looks increasingly like economic disaster, there have been a couple of surprising - even heartening - moves by the country’s senior politicians lately. One was the announcement made by Socialist leader Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba that his party offered its full support to the conservative government going into the key European summit in Brussels on June 28. This rare instance of political unity was accompanied by an unusual show of stark public honesty by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. “We can’t finance ourselves at these levels of interest much longer,” said the man who had denied that Spain would request a bank bailout days before it did so, and who said he … [Read more...] about Spain’s true crisis isn’t economic, it’s institutional
Why I no longer love Spain’s tiki-taka
“Since the Brazil team of 1970, I can’t remember a side that thrashed and thrilled in virtually all its games – the closest thing to that I have seen is this Spanish team.” (José Sámano, El País) When world and European champions Spain play Portugal for a place in the 2012 European Championship final on Wednesday night, part of me will be rooting for Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese. And if I don’t punch the air when Andrés Iniesta (or one of the other seemingly countless pixie-like midfielders) scores Spain’s first goal, it’s because I’m bored of tiki-taka. First of all, I should explain that I deeply admire what Spain have achieved over the last four years. Having struggled for … [Read more...] about Why I no longer love Spain’s tiki-taka
“Our forgotten Spanish reality…”
It’s not often that I’d applaud the broad array of opinions published in El Mundo newspaper. During the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, its op-eds ranged, utterly predictably, from anti-Zapatero to rabidly anti-Zapatero. But with a Partido Popular government, things seem to be getting more interesting, especially given that while El Mundo has supported the cause of Spain’s conservatives, it has not been a consistent cheerleader for Mariano Rajoy himself. So it was fascinating to see just a couple of the opinions published by the paper in the wake of the announcement of Spain’s financial bailout. The general consensus in Spain is that Rajoy committed a major error by not … [Read more...] about “Our forgotten Spanish reality…”
Bailout? What bailout?
“It’s not a bailout…it’s a credit line with very favourable conditions.” (Luis de Guindos.) “It’s a victory for the euro…If we hadn’t done what we have done in the past five months, the result would have been a bailout of the kingdom of Spain.” (Mariano Rajoy.) You’d hardly imagine, from listening to Spain’s prime minister and his economy minister, that the country has joined the list of nations that are receiving rescue packages from the European Union. Offering up to €100 billion for a banking sector crippled by toxic assets is clearly a major step for the EU, although whether it’s the “victory” Mariano Rajoy talks about is still uncertain. One thing the EU’s fourth bailout has … [Read more...] about Bailout? What bailout?
Bankia and the blame game
The news that former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is writing a book about his two terms in office in which he will be “critical of himself, but not others,” according to people close to him, stuck out like a sore thumb given that in Spanish politics, apportioning blame currently seems to be as much a priority as finding solutions to the crisis. Whether Zapatero does manage to criticise only himself in his book is another matter, but if not, plenty of others are quite happy to point the finger at him. Last week, Economy Minister Luis de Guindos echoed the Partido Popular-led government’s regular complaint that it inherited an economy in tatters from the Socialists, this … [Read more...] about Bankia and the blame game