According to a report in today's El Mundo, Madrid president Esperanza Aguirre has agreed not to challenge Mariano Rajoy as party leader at the PP party congress next June.

Notwithstanding, Ms Aguirre will push for changes to exisiting party rules to allow a full-blown leadership battle - like the US Primary system - to take place for the first time in 2011.

It is hoped that this will enable the party to choose the best candidate to head up the 2012 general election campaign and provide a forum for ideological differences to be debated openly and democratically.

The party hopes that this temporary truce will bring to an end a damaging period of uncertainty as the party struggles to come to terms with a second consecutive general election defeat and another frustrating four years in opposition.