Spain's PM calls early general elections for November 20

[News_Editor]

Spain's PM calls early general elections for November 20

2011-07-29 22:42:30 GMT+7 (ICT)

MADRID (BNO NEWS) -- Spain's Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero on Friday called early general elections for November, four months earlier than planned.

Zapatero told a press conference in Madrid that the new elections, which were due to be held in March 2012, are now scheduled for November 20, according to El País newspaper. He said that the change of date will bring "political and economic stability" to the country since it will allow the new government to take charge of the economy from January 1.

The premier, who has been criticized for his handling of the country's economic crisis, said that it was time to establish a date for the elections since his government has put in place the bases for the economic recovery, which has already shown positive signs. He added that new figures released on Friday showed that unemployment dropped slightly in the second quarter. However, it still remains the highest in the European Union.

Zapatero, who was first elected in March 2004, will not be running for a third term. The party chose former interior minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba as the new Socialist candidate.

Opposition leader Mariano Rajoy said at a news conference at his party headquarters in Madrid that the change of date was "good news" because it is what "the majority of people" wanted. According to Rajoy, the elections will be the "necessary impetus" to end the economic crisis.

Spain has been under intense pressure to convince markets that its economic situation is not similar to those in Portugal, Greece and Ireland. The three countries have needed bailouts from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

Spain witnessed massive protests in May against high unemployment and the government's austerity measures during local and regional elections. Protesters, most of them young, gathered in the main Spanish cities to demand a reform of Spain's democratic system.

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