John Lilly contributes this link from the WSJ to an opinion piece about Aznar and his reign . It's only available to subscribers, though, so I have no idea what it says. So how about some home-gown op-ed?

One of John's challenge questions was what Aznar will do after his retirement. Obviously he'll go for a top Euro-sinecure, when the time is right. Let's just hope he doesn't hang around in Spain acting as "eminence grise" behind the scenes of the PP as Felipe Gonzalez has done with the PSOE.

My (Murph's) feeling on Aznar is that he has been a competent though unispiring and at times extremely divisive leader. Top marks on the economy. Low marks for public services, justice, health, transport infrastructure and relations between the regions. Foreign affairs high point? Becoming one of the "Azores Three" which declared war on Iraq on 16th March, and subsequently standing solid on his position. Foreign affairs low point? Allowing the whole Gibraltar-Ceuta-Melilla-Morocco mess to get so far out of hand and then crowing about his "counter-invasion" of the worthless rock of Perejil.

One thing is for sure- Rajoy is no more than an even less inspring version of Aznar. Expect Spain to be a charisma-free zone for the next four years.