Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy receives support from Merkel and Sarkozy at PP Congress

ON Thursday’s congress for the European People’s Party in Madrid, Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy were among the figures lending their support to Prime Minister Rajoy ahead of the elections in Spain on December 20.

The meeting of the European conservative party included a closing ceremony with many leaders and former leaders from across the continent attending. Joining the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the ex French President Nicolas Sarkozy was Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister of Italy.

Rajoy addressed the gathering and used the speech to talk about the upcoming election and level attacks at main opposition the Socialists and the rising Ciudadanos party.

Rajoy spoke about new and rising parties across Europe who “fix everything in half an hour and have never been in power.”

Angela Merkel told the Spanish PM that “we are here, in Spain, which has overcome tough times, such as its passage from dictatorship to democracy and the crisis, to underline that this country is an extraordinary member and to wish you, dear Mariano, much luck and success in the elections.”

She credited Rajoy for having “taken the bull by the horns and adopted difficult measures” which she said led to “a million more jobs.”

Earlier in the day ex French President Sarkozy spoke of his “pride at being able to count on a prime minister” like Rajoy and said he was sure the PP leader would be successful in the elections.