About: Mariano Rajoy
Former IMF chief to serve four years in prison over ‘black cards’ case
Former managing director of the International Monetary Fund and ex-Finance minister of Spain Rodrigo Rato entered into prison on Thursday (25 October) to serve four-and-a-half-years term over ‘black cards’ case.
New controversy hits Spanish PM Sánchez’s bumpy start
Beloved in Brussels, on the ropes in Madrid, the Spanish socialist government faced this week one more scandal after it was reported that star minister and former astronaut Pedro Duque used a legal entity to pay lower his tax bill.
Spain’s new prime minister aims for regular elections in 2020
Spain's new Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who took over earlier this month after his conservative predecessor lost a no-confidence vote, said on Monday (18 June) he plans to stay in office until the regular ballot scheduled for 2020.
Rajoy ousted from Spanish government, replaced by socialist Sánchez
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, plagued by corruption scandals, lost a confidence vote in the Spanish parliament on Friday (1 June) and will be replaced by opposition leader Pedro Sánchez, a socialist who vowed to call elections soon.
Trans-Europe Express – Nothing quiet on the Western front
It was another exciting week in Strasbourg. Not only did MEPs from across the political spectrum race to show righteous anger at Donald Trump, the president of new protectionism, but they saw the fall (and rise) of two EU governments in the space of a few days.
EPP silent on Spanish scandal, pledges to do ‘everything’ to fight corruption
The European Peoples' Party (EPP) will set up a committee in November to do “everything” to address “unethical behaviour” but remained silent on whether it would send a warning to its Spanish member following a major sentence against Partido Popular (PP).
Spain’s Socialists table no confidence motion against Rajoy’s government
Spain's main opposition Socialist Party tabled on Friday (25 May) a motion of no confidence in Parliament against the government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy after his ruling Popular Party was found guilty of corruption in a court verdict. EURACTIV’s partner efe-epa reports.
Luxury home purchase haunts Spain’s far-left Podemos party
Accusations of hypocrisy have rained down on the couple that heads Spain's far-left Podemos party for buying a 600,000-euro luxury home with a swimming pool after previously condemning such extravagance.
Kosovo is not Catalonia, Kosovo’s Thaci tells absent Spanish PM Rajoy
Pristina ‘understands’ the decision of Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy not to attend the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia, but “Kosovo is not Catalonia”, Kosovo's President Hashim Thaçi told EURACTIV.com.
Western Balkans remain in standby mode
EU members want to take their time with a new round of enlargement - something that the Western Balkans summit this Thursday (17 May) in Sofia is unlikely to change. EURACTIV Germany’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Kosovo conundrum looms large over Western Balkans summit
As Bulgaria prepares for a Western Balkan summit in May, seen by many as the centrepiece of its EU Council Presidency, Sofia has realised that not all its guests want to sit at the same table.
Juncker warns of cuts to MFF despite member states’ promised additional cash
Most EU leaders accepted on Friday (23 February) that they will add more funds to the EU budget after 2020, but European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that funds for farmers and cohesion would still be reduced.
Pro-independence parties win Catalan elections
Pro-independence parties won an absolute majority of seats during regional elections held in Catalonia on Thursday (21 December), despite the 'unionist' party Ciudadanos coming on top.
Catalan campaigning wraps up ahead of crucial vote
Campaigning drew to a close on Tuesday (19 December) in Catalonia's regional election, a potential turning point in Spain's worst political crisis in decades.
Macron convinces Merkel to hold key debate on future of euro in March
Amid the political paralysis in Germany, EU leaders decided on Friday (15 December) to postpone for March a “strategic political discussion” on the future of the eurozone and adopt a 'reform roadmap' in June.
France, Portugal and Spain to attend mini energy summit
Portugal will organise early next year a summit dedicated solely to energy interconnectors, as lawmakers work to end the Iberian peninsula’s energy market isolation.
Bulgaria’s Simeon: Time to leave a mark after so many years of isolation
In an exclusive interview in his Vrana Palace near Sofia on 17 November 2017, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha shared his thoughts on the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. A version of this interview on the website BulgarianPresidency.eu contains the original transcript in Bulgarian.
Rajoy vows to defeat separatists in Catalan election
Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Tuesday (14 November) he hopes to defeat separatists in next month's Catalan election, which will be dominated by regional lawmakers' independence drive, calling for a "massive" turnout by voters.
Hundreds rally in Brussels for Catalan independence
Several hundred people rallied in Brussels on Sunday (12 November) to back the independence push in Catalonia, slam the EU and demand Spain release jailed regional officials.
Puigdemont says will stay in Belgium, accept snap election
Dismissed Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is not seeking political asylum in Belgium and will not return to Spain until he is guaranteed a fair trial, he told a packed news conference in Brussels’ European quarter on Tuesday (31 October).
Rajoy sacks Catalan government, calls snap election
Spain on Friday (27 October) sacked Catalonia’s regional government, dissolved the Catalan parliament and called a snap election in the region for 21 December, in a bid to draw a line under Spain’s worst political crisis in 40 years.
Catalan parliament defies Madrid, declares independence
Catalonia's parliament declared independence from Spain in a historic vote on Friday (27 October), setting the scene for a showdown with Madrid, which has announced it would strip the breakaway region of its autonomy.
Moedas: ‘What’s going around in Spain is very difficult for all sides’
Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation admitted that the dramatic events and tensions in Spain over Catalonia were “very difficult for all the sides”, but repeated the official position of the EU executive that the constitutional order in Spain should prevail.