National elections called for November 20

(Photo: Europa Sur)

SPAIN (Agencies) Premier José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced yesterday that he was calling early national elections on November 20th, so that the next Government can take charge of the 2012 financial year and therefore "project political and financial stability over the next few months." Zapatero made the announcement at a press conference after the Ministers Council held every Friday. He pointed out that this would leave enough time to approve and set into place the laws and financial reforms that are in their 'final phase'. The news is not surprising, as the present Government is in what opposition leader Mariano Rajoy has called 'crepuscular' - or to put it even more cruelly: in its death throes. As to regional elections in Andalucía, traditionally held at the same time as the national polls, Zapatero said that it was the President of Andalucía, José Antonio Griñán, who must make that decision. At a party meeting on Monday, Griñán said, "I insist that the elections in Andalucía are fine in March" (the month the nationals had been scheduled for prior to Zapatero's announcement yesterday).