Rajoy wins big in Spain - socialists utterly humiliated

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Hopefully he will be truer to conservative principles than wets like Cameron!

Very sensible people, the Spanish. I've always thought that. This just confirms it,

Is it Rajoy or Rejoice?

Can you expand on the "utterly" part? This sounds like heartening news.

www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-20/people-s-party-rajoy-win-spain-parliament-as-debt-crisis-ousts-socialists.html#

Landslide

Rajoy sounds like a very sensible person. No wonder he got a landslide victory.

"On Oct. 23, Rajoy, leader of the opposition conservative Popular Party (PP), said climate change is not "a big global problem," adding, "No scientist has guaranteed to me what the weather will be like tomorrow in [the southern Spanish city of] Seville. (?) How can anyone know what will happen in the world within 300 years? We have to pay a lot of attention to this matter, but we cannot turn it into a big global problem."

I fear he may not be popular with the Guardian, but he is very popular with eth Spanish people.

God but Rajoy is USELESS and spouts utter shite. Does not bode well for Spain Well now I don't live there any more at least I don't have to listen to Rajoy's moronic rhetoric.

The Spanish do NOT love Rajoy; they just desperately hoping the PP can get them out of the financial crisis.

Yes, I am sure you are right. These are desperate times and they hope the right will solve the problems. But the austerity that Rajoy will be forced to introduce will be severe.

It will. I'm really surprised they didn't replace him with someone more dynamic and forceful. He's been the PP leader for years and has always been considered pretty weak. I suppose that shows how bad things are. And the old codgers just love him, and Spain has a v big elderly population. I would also guess that turnout is v low among the younger population.

In terms of left and right Spain is pretty evenly divided. It's usually a v close contest, in normal times.

I guess they knew it would be a landslide and there was no need to replace him. If he is weak, he will probably do what the "markets" tell him, which is usually the way they like it.

However, it's not all negative. At least he is switched on about "climate change".

'In terms of left and right Spain is pretty evenly divided. It's usually a v close contest, in normal times.'

Yes, which is why this is such a momentous and significant result. This is unique and shows the desperation. I hope it goes well, but the austerity is likely to be terrible.

But aat least it is democracy. They haven't imposed a bunch of unelected technocrats on the Spanish people.

"PP leader Mariano Rajoy: "We can only go forward if we all go forward together"

Rather delusionally like Cameron's "We are all in this together". 'Cept some people will be 'more in it' than others. It isn't a good day for Spain at all.

Why isn't it a good day? The Spanish voted overwhelmingly for a new government. They know what they voted for. The last socialist bunch have been told to sling their hooks. It's not another political party who are promising better services, more money all borrowed of course.

As Claig said, it's democracy. Isn't that what we all want?