Going for the big one

MARIANO RAJOY and Spain’s Right Wing have not made it easy for ETA to make its peace with society.

The Basque terrorist organisation ceased armed activity in October 2011 and of the five parties in the Basque regional parliament, only the Partido Popular does not back a non-government bill dissolving ETA and decommissioning its weapons.  

The Basque president Iñigo Urkullu would like to see the regional PP swallow its misgivings and support the bill.  The last ETA attack occurred in France in 2010 and Urkullo believes that Rajoy now needs to pool Spain’s resources in fighting the big one: jihadism. 

The jihadis do not differentiate between the Left, the Right or Centre and that goes for nationalists, too.

Take your pick

PRESIDENT of the Spanish government Mariano Rajoy has always disappointed Jose Maria Aznar, the former president who nominated him as his successor.  Not only are the two men chalk and cheese, but Aznar has admitted that his first choice turned him down twice.  And who was that?  None other than Rodrigo Rato, the former vice-president and Hacienda minister who is now on trial for money-laundering, embezzlement and fraud.  

This includes €2.8 million the former minister allegedly left off his tax returns to Hacienda. Rajoy might not say much for Aznar’s good judgement, but Rato says even less.

Tread carefully

THE Podemos party hasn’t been around long but its foundations are already shifting. 

Iñigo Errejon, a Podemos party founder and currently its number two, did the unthinkable by challenging Podemos supremo Pablo Iglesias. In a panicky bid to shortcircuit Errejon and silence debate, the Iglesias faction has unleashed a campaign to weaken him.  Instead the plan could backfire by confirming the doubts of those already dubious about Iglesias. And it could summon support for baby-faced Errejon who is infinitely more adult than pony-trailed ego-tripping Iglesias.

Gender typing

DESPITE stringent equality laws and politicians’ insistence on referring to niños y niñas instead of the collective ninos, some things remain the same in Spain.  This was plain to see as small children played with their presents in Spain’s squares and gardens on Christmas Day and will do so on January 6 as little girls push dolls’ prams and small boys career on skateboards and scooters.  Clearly Father Christmas and the Three Kings haven’t taken in the equality message.