Catalan Socialists throw weight behind Chacón to succeed Zapatero

The Catalan branch of the Socialist Party on Monday advocated that the prime minister take the subject of his succession off the political agenda until at least after the May regional and local elections. The call came after Spain's business leaders made a similar request to José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero at the weekend, encouraging him to focus instead on Spain's economic woes.

At a meeting last Saturday of the Catalan Socialists (PSC)- which played a key role in Zapatero's rise to party leadership in 2000- there was unanimity that the debate, which has gathered pace in recent weeks, should be sidelined until after May 22, partly because the PSC believes it will favor the defense minister, Carme Chacón. The PSC thinks it is a foregone conclusion that the prime minister will step aside before general elections in March 2012, and that concentrating on Spain's economy in the interim will serve a greater cause.

"We do not want, and it is not convenient, for this debate to be pursued," PSC spokesman Miquel Iceta said. "The only person who can close the matter is Zapatero, and we ask him to do so as soon as possible."

The PSC believes that the succession debate will not move forward at an April 2 meeting of the federal party leadership. This delay is expected to benefit the candidacy of Chacón, whose main rival for the leadership is the deputy prime minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba.

Chacón, who was present at Saturday's meeting and has been moving discreetly in conjunction with the PSC, is seen as having a real chance of shaking up the Socialist hierarchy, both thanks to her youth (she has just turned 40) as well as her ideas.