Coalition
A TRIO of right wing parties have come to an agreement to end 36 years of socialist rule in Andalucia. Juan Manuel Moreno is set be the new leader of the Junta de Andalucia.
The PP leader in the region has got support of both Ciudadanos and Vox to lead parliament.
While the exact combination of the cabinet is still being negotiated, leader Moreno is expected to be sworn in this week.
Drug Bust
Spanish police were filmed ramming suspected drug runners after a high-speed speedboat chase.
Drug smugglers tried to outrun the police but the spectacular pursuit saw the Guardia Civil forcing them to try and reach shore in Manilva in Malaga.
The Christmas Eve pursuit saw the narco’s boat pursued by the police at high speed as a helicopter hovered over ahead.
Despite the police helicopter landing on the beach first, the drug smugglers still tryed to make their escape but three were caught and taken into custody.
A fourth man was arrested as he sat at the wheel of a getaway car.
The boat was apparently on its way to Morocco to pick up a shipment of drugs.
Prime Ministers Popularity Down
AN unofficial poll by the El Confidencial online newspaper found that the “Pedro Sanchez effect” is waning . it found his government had the support of only one in three voters.
Even within his own party, Sanchez’s popularity has slipped. Three months ago he had the approval of 71.8 per cent of PSOE voters but this has dropped by nine percentage points.
The president’s approval rating from voters of all national parties stands at 36.1 per cent.
Optimism has faded and PSOE voters said they were disappointed as the performance of Sanchez’s ministers was worse than they had expected.
Post Office Deal
SPAIN’S post office has agreed to take on 11,200 employees and improve salaries for all existing staff over the next 2 years averting strikes planned for the Christmas Period.
Correos has struck an ‘unprecedented’ deal with unions which will see wages go up by at least 9% and temporary job contracts reduced from 35% of the workforce to just 8%.
The agreement will also provide pathways to promotion, and staff training, to Correos’ 51,000-plus employees, and Saturday working will now become voluntary with increased overtime payment for those who agree to the weekend shift.
Jobs up for grabs include positions in sorting, delivery and customer service.
Retail Sales
Spanish retail sales rose by 1.4 percent in November from a year earlier on a calendar-adjusted basis, after rising by a revised 2.1 percent in October, the National Statistics Institute said this morning.
The October figure was revised up from a preliminary reading of 1.8 percent, INE said