Yesterday Francisco Camps, the former president of Valencia, paid the last installment on some designer suits that were given to him by a businessman who has been prosecuted for fraud. Implicated by the Gürtel tax fraud case, Camps considered fessing up and paying a fine but in the end he opted to resign. His legal diversion is putting him against the ropes once again and could give Rajoy some leverage as he prepares for the next general elections.
It´s not surprising that Camps has finally stepped down from his position after more than eight years heading the Generalitat Valenciana.
What is surprising about this is that a prosecution against a regional government president was started and sustained without reservations. Camps intended to stand up to Rajoy, but that threatened him with holding an extra congress and kicking him out of his political party via the Valencian mayor Rita Barberá.
Rajoy´s actions reinforced his authority as head of the PP and showed that he is prepared to run during the next presidential election.
The leader of the PP, who has become famous more through his silence than his words, was aware that he could not hold an electoral campaign with Camps in office because the majority views from opinion polls were at stake. Further, Camps was being used by the opposition and media order to tap the government?s extravagant economic activity and policies.
That this situation is occurring as the story of the euro reaches its climax is not a coincidence. The leader of the PP should not be nervous in order to clean up his party.
Translated and Edited in English by Brandon Dyches and Jose L. De Haro.
