Rajoy sworn in as Spanish Prime Minister

USPA NEWS - The conservative Mariano Rajoy, leader of the Popular Party, vowed Monday his position as President of the Spanish Government before the King Philip VI. Rajoy will announce the composition of his new government on Thursday.

With the swearing in the Zarzuela Palace, the official residence of the Kings of Spain, and to the acting Minister of Justice, who acted as a notary, ended the temporariness of the Spanish Government, which has been in operation for over ten months from the call for legislative elections on 20 December 2015. Other elections in June dis little to clear the Spanish political landscape and only last Saturday, with the abstention of the Socialist Party, could unlock the situation.

Now, Rajoy should form a Government, whose composition will be announced on Thursday afternoon. The next day, the new ministers sworn in before the King and later held the first Cabinet meeting as full function. The new Government must prepare the State budget for 2017 and negotiate with Europe's deficit target, which has been affected by the long period of interim Government.

Rajoy has become the first president of the Spanish Government who is sworn in to two different kings: in 2011 he swore before King Juan Carlos I and Monday he did in front Philip VI. The act of swearing lasted four minutes and Rajoy gave the oath with his right hand on the Spanish Constitution and the left on the Holy Bible. After the ceremony, Rajoy returned to the Moncloa Palace, where last the composition of his cabinet. Sources close to the President said to USPA News that major changes are not expected, although the fact of being in the minority and the expected tight control of Parliament leaves the door open to some surprises.