Rajoy

With the local elections over, the protests will probably fizzle for a while. But Mr Rajoy should have no illusions.

There has been no illegal party funding, just a few people who have broken the law, said the party leader, Mariano Rajoy.

But last Thursday, Mr. Rajoy closed off that possibility. He said he would not hurt the elderly by reducing pension payments.

That could be enough to leave Mr Rajoy as many as six seats short of an absolute majority.

Demands for a German-style "golden rule" deficit cap have long been a mantra for Mr Rajoy's People's Party (PP).

Anything less threatens to leave Mr Rajoy without a mandate for the reforms Spain badly needs.

If that transpires on election day, Mr Rajoy would find himself at the head of a minority government, with less clout over the economy.

Mr Rajoy is famed for a trait of his native Galicia: leaving people guessing about his real intentions.

Mariano Rajoy, leader of the opposition People's Party, has said he is "against reopening old wounds" .

"He is a man of dialogue, " says Jorge Moragas, Mr Rajoy's chief of staff and a possible foreign minister.

Mr Rajoy's instincts are reformist, and an absolute majority would no doubt make his life easier.

If such a result were repeated at the election, Mr Rajoy would find himself at the helm of a minority government.

Mr Rajoy's enigmatic personality fits the Spanish archetype of the gallego, a native of his home region of Galicia.

But they do not solve Spain's short-term problems, as Mr Rajoy will discover once he is in the hot seat.

That would be a blow to the PP leader, Mariano Rajoy, himself a Galician.

Lacking in public charisma, Mr Rajoy is said to be charming and witty in private.

Yet Mr Rajoy knows that, with the markets in a euro funk and bond yields at eye-watering highs, mere promises count for little.

Mr Rajoy says unemployment will be his first priority, and he is likely to take up Mr Zapatero's unfinished work on labour-market reform.

He has abandoned overblown claims that Mr Zapatero is tearing Spain apart by giving more autonomy to its regions or destroying the family.

How the Aznar model can apply now will depend largely on Mr Rajoy's first finance minister. And who will that be?

Investors are expected to closely parse the economic changes expected from Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Friday.

The corruption scandals, none of which involve Mr Rajoy, may have strengthened his hand.

Reminders of the grim outlook have come daily since Mr Rajoy's victory.

MARIANO RAJOY, a mild-mannered man destined to be Spain's next prime minister, says he is confident and ready.

Mr Rajoy took the opportunity in parliament yesterday to remind the prime minister that he had the idea first.

A former property registrar from Galicia, Mr. Rajoy shares Galicians' legendary ability to disguise his intentions.

Mr Rajoy says Spain will be "the most compliant and the most watchful" country in Europe, code for deficit targets and austerity.

Few now doubt that Mr Rajoy, on his third try, will move into the prime minister's Moncloa Palace.

Mr Rajoy says he cannot bring the government down in parliament, because the balance of parties is too complicated.

In a poll asking who won the debate, he beat the opposition People's Party (PP) leader, Mariano Rajoy.

Moreover, given the PP's hierarchical structure, Mr Rajoy will have little trouble keeping his party in line.

The most powerful woman in Spain is also the youngest member of the new conservative government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

The law must be changed, says the PP's national leader, Mariano Rajoy, who says there are too many illegals.

Spain's general election was won by the opposition centre-right People's Party, led by Mariano Rajoy.

Mr Rajoy wants to cut business taxes to generate growth and jobs, but must also meet tough budget-deficit targets.

If the new leader cuts deeply enough into the PP's lead, Mr Rajoy may not win an absolute majority.

Mr. Zapatero and Mr. Rajoy are vying to make ever more extravagant promises of tax cuts and spending plans.

Though Mr Rajoy has scored a victory, the economy needs much more than his golden rule.

The size of the PP's poll lead and investors' faith in Mr Rajoy have won time.

Mr Rajoy has criticised Mr Zapatero's pension reform without offering an alternative.

In the polls the Socialists are 16 points behind the conservative opposition People's Party (PP) of Mariano Rajoy.

The scale of the task that Mr Rajoy will face is growing by the day.

An image consultant's nightmare, the bespectacled Mr Rajoy is a dull candidate.

Markets seemed to react positively to Mr. Rajoy's new measures.

Mr. Rajoy now has been handed the unenviable task of recreating an economy that never really existed.

Some observers fear that Mr Rajoy is more likely to give Spain a gentle prod than the smack of firm government.

It is still unclear, however, what a government run by Mr Rajoy would do.

The PP leader, Mariano Rajoy, has criticised the pension freeze.

Mr Rajoy may, however, need them to oversee a discreet disarmament process.

One problem is his lack of inspiration and punchiness. But the colourless Mr. Rajoy is little better.

Mr Rajoy faces a dilemma over the coming months.

Mr Rajoy will quickly pass an austerity package and cut corporate tax.

But once the PP takes over, Mr Rajoy will hold nearly untrammelled power.

Mr Rajoy welcomed the end of violence yesterday.

Unlike his predecessor, Mr Rajoy needs to make no political U-turn.

This time he consistently led his PP rival, Mariano Rajoy, and duly won re-election on March 9th.

Mr Rajoy wants CiU, which is critical of Mr Zapatero's lukewarm reforms, to help him oust the government.

And Mr Rajoy has also toned down his anti-Zapatero rhetoric.

If Captain Rajoy cannot now steer Spain to safety, who can?

Even if Mr Zapatero himself is less popular than he was, he still bests Mariano Rajoy, the plodding opposition leader.

Mr Rajoy has indicated that he plans to tackle this issue.

Either way, the task of finessing ETA's end may now fall to Mr Rajoy.

Mr Rajoy enjoys both freedom and huge power.

How will Mr Rajoy use his strength?

Spain's borrowing costs rose to 6. 48 percent Monday, and Rajoy spoke with Merkel.

Mr Rajoy is keeping this a secret, saying only that he will reach outside the party if need be.

Prime minister elect Mariano Rajoy powerless to calm markets until lengthy transition period is over

It's Rajoy's country, and he'll spend if he wants to

Polls give Mr Rajoy a lead of up to 15%