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Crisis deepens among Spain's opposition conservatives
By DPA
May 13, 2008, 9:07 GMT

Madrid - A rift dividing Spain's main opposition conservative People's Party (PP) was Tuesday seen as deepening after Basque PP leader Maria San Gil expressed 'fundamental disagreements' with the party programme.

San Gil distanced herself from the proposal for a political programme which had been in preparation for the party congress in June.

San Gil's move was seen as further weakening party leader Mariano Rajoy, who suffered his second consecutive election defeat to Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in March.

San Gil, who symbolizes resistance to the violence of the militant Basque separatist group ETA, is counted among PP hardliners who find Rajoy too soft on issues such as the defence of Spain's unity against separatist strivings.

Madrid regional Prime Minister Esperanza Aguirre, a hardliner, has made no secret of her ambition to succeed former interior minister Rajoy.

Rajoy has sought to rejuvenate the party leadership after the election defeat, replacing leaders associated with the 1996-2004 governments of conservative prime minister Jose Maria Aznar.

He himself now remains the only 'Aznarist' in top positions within the PP.