Prime Minister Rajoy officially named Miguel Arias Cañete for upcoming elections in Europe. This was not a surprise, however late. The Minister of Agriculture was being considered for several months.
Rajoy is not a big innovator. He ponders changes for a long time and when he finally makes them the world does not shake. For the Minister of Agriculture role, it seemed like he was considering Javier Arenas. Rajoy is a believer and thankful to those who have supported him. He has not forgotten that the PP's president in Andalusia was one of his main backers in Valencia when he faced Esperanza Aguirre in the battle for the top spot in the party. With this appointment, Arenas bolsters a position that Dolores Cospedal has continually threatened. The Prime Minister is clearly focused on elections, and some of the government's latest moves can be understood in this sense. For example, it has pressured Spaniards who own Deoleo stock to join together to block the sale of this food oil company, something that could very well happen. There is no rush to sell the company, especially if it can pay off some of its debt. But there is still motivation to sell it.
Rajoy wants to fortify Cañete and Arenas' names in order to assure Deoleo's future as a leader in the global food industry and Spanish brand. Ultimately, the move is an attempt to win votes without making world-shaking changes, which Rajoy is averse to anyway.
