Paradoxically, the result of elections in Andalusia could incite the Spanish government to enact pending cutbacks with great rapidity and impact. It was difficult for the People's Party to align its first-time win in Andalusia with extreme budget deficits.
How can one refuse to water a garden that was recently acquired and hard won? Rajoy could have got a lot of pressure from Arenas to show that he has effected changes in Andalusia. The ballots said that the People's Party won, but the Spanish Socialist Workers? Party will remain in power provided that the United Left will agree to offer their backing.
Cristóbal Montoro's expression on the night of the election was explicit enough to convey his doubts. This week he is going to present an austere budget with which he will try to convince the EU and the market's that they should once again have confidence in Spain.
The situation is iffy, but after what happened in Andalusia, the Cabinet at last seems to have taken account of the fact that the dismantling of the People's Party could be enormous and that the only option left is to forget about past and future elections and focus on the task of preparing the National Budget.
Their work consists of making cutbacks that are necessary and realistic so that Spain can meet its budget deficit goals. Rajoy has wasted several bullets already, and now he's got just this one left.
