Spanish PM designate promises to work for all Spaniards

Popular Party leader Mariano Rajoy promised to work for the good of all Spaniards after being elected as his country's new prime minister on Sunday. Rajoy's right wing Popular Party polled 44.55 percent of the vote in the Spanish General Election, enough for him to form a government with an overall majority and end seven and a half years in opposition. Speaking from his party headquarters in the center of Madrid after the result, Rajoy highlighted the need for unity in the face of the current economic crisis which has left almost five million people out of work in Spain. "I have no more enemies than unemployment, the deficit and the excessive debt," he said, promising to be a government leader who would represent "all of the people of Spain." "There will be no miracles and we have not promised miracles," added Rajoy, who is now expected to introduce sweeping spending cuts in Spain. "We need to work together and make an effort for solidarity," he said, before turning his attention to Spain's position in the European Union. "Spain's voice has to be respected in Brussels, We will stop being a part of the problem to form part of the solution," he promised, adding that he would not waste a second before putting his party's electoral program into operation. "I will be here tomorrow working tomorrow morning," said Rajoy to cheering thousands of supporters gathered in the streets. Meanwhile there was a different mood at the headquarters of the defeated Socialist (PSOE) party. Socialist candidate Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba had no alternative but to concede defeat following the worst ever electoral performance from his party since the arrival of democracy in Spain in 1975. The PSOE polled just 28.6 percent of the total vote and will have only 110 members in the next Congress, compared with the 169 they had during the last mandate. Rubalcaba congratulated Rajoy on his victory and added that the PSOE would not change its role to "leading the opposition.""We will do so in line with our policy, our values and our convictions, with responsibility and for the good of Spain, which we have always defended," said Rubalcaba, who added that the PSOE would try and defend Spain's public services in the face of what the cuts the PP are expected to introduce. He did not say whether he would continue as the head of the party after such a heavy defeat.