God help the world...

(BBC online)

USA (Opinion) ... if yet another Bush gets into the White House.

Manilva Mayoress resigns because of 'irregularities'

(sotograndedigital.com)

MANILVA (Cadiz) -- The westernmost municipality in the province of Malaga returns to its usual state of political instability, according to local and provincial media. The Mayoress, Antonia Muñoz, who has been on the Council for 27 years, and at its head since 2007, has been under investigation for alleged irregularities such as nepotism and dodgy contracts -- she resigned last Friday without offering any public explanations, just seven months before local elections. She had ben under pressure to resign since June 2013, when she and her Council cohorts officially resigned from her party (IU, Izquierda Unida) ranks. The present judicial investigation has already 'splashed' her family and close friends. Local sources also point to serious discrepancies with many of her political group, ever since they left IU.

Former Minister Gallardón gets a ‘job for the boys’ at €5.500 net per month

Ruiz Gallardón by Kikelin
(http://yolandacasaus.blogspot.com.es/

MADRID – The place is full of exes. On the website Consejo Consultivo de la Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid Consultation Council), the newest name is that of former Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz Gallardón, who resigned his Ministry when his boss, Mariano Rajoy, decided to give up on a controversial law on abortion that he had been trying to put through, and is also a former President of the country’s capital region, called Comunidad de Madrid.  From last Thursday the ex-Minister is a member of the Council earning €5,500 net per month, for life and for which he must attend every one of the Council’s meetings – about 67 a year or approximately one a week and usually on Wednesdays. The law that allows this was passed in December 2007 and set the salary as the same as that of active regional Councillors (Consejeros). The organisation costs the public purse some €4.3mm per year. I wonder what the millions of unemployed think of that – not to mention heads of families who have to live on salaries of well under €1,000 a month.

Minister resigns over abortion law

MADRID – Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, now ex-Minister of Justice and well on the right wing of the Partido Popular (PP), resigned last week in an effort by Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, and party leader, to place the party nearer the centre. Gallardón’s resignation was caused by Rajoy’s decision to remove a reformed abortion law and return to minimal changes in its current version. Gallardón’s place will be taken temporarily by Vice-President Soraya Sáenz de Santa María and later by Rafael Catalá, at present the Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Housing, whose appointment was announced on Wednesday.

King’s ex-Secretary General is richest high office holder

Spain's wealthiest politician

MADRID – The Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE, the nation’s official bulletin) this week published the personal assets of 250 high office holders in Spain. This novelty is thanks to the Transparency Law approved by the Executive recently. The law obliges not only Ministers and Secretaries of State to declare their assets, and their debts, but all those holding high office in the Administración General del Estado (AGE) as well. These include directors and general secretaries of public entities, ambassadors and presidents of state institutions. The declarations must also include assets and rights arising from family inheritances.