Spanish security chief for Basque president

The Spanish Interior Minister, Jaime Mayor Oreja, has been nominated as the governing Popular Party's candidate for Basque President in regional elections due in May.

The nomination is seen as a sign of the Spanish government's determination to oust the Basque nationalists who have controlled the regional government for decades.

The Popular Party is the second largest party in the present Basque parliament.

As Interior Minister, Mr Mayor Oreja -- a Basque -- has overseen security operations against the armed separatist group, ETA. Mr Mayor Oreja's nomination for the presidency has obliged the government to replace him at the interior ministry.

His successor is Mariano Rajoy, a deputy prime minister.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service