Spain’s acting PM remains optimistic on growth regardless of Brexit

Spain’s acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy remained optimistic over the country’s economic growth, regardless of the decision of the European Union referendum, due Thursday. PM Rajoy said Wednesday that the economy can expand by more than three percent this year, defying worries over Brexit.

The government's official growth forecast for this year is 2.7 percent from a year earlier after 3.2 percent in 2015.

"I believe we'll grow, if they don't do anything stupid (in the elections), by more than 3 percent, regardless of the result of the British referendum," Reuters reported, citing Rajoy’s statement in a radio interview.

Rajoy has campaigned as a steady hand who pulled Spain’s economy from the brink of collapse in 2012 to make it the fastest-growing among major Eurozone countries. The country is preparing for its second national election in just over two months; the campaign logo for the front-running Popular Party has attracted attention in reference to its standard frontrunner, Mariano Rajoy.

A win for anti-austerity party Unidos Podemos (Together We Can) in the Parliamentary election on Sunday, however, could hurt the country's growth possibilities, he reiterated.

There is a widespread sentiment among voters outside and inside the party that Rajoy is expendable. The Metroscopia polling agency found that 74 percent of voters nationally and 57 percent of those favoring the Popular Party itself said they would support dumping Rajoy if it were the only way to end Spain’s months adrift without a government, reports confirmed.