MADRID: Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says he will call general elections in December but the date has yet to be decided.

Asked on Cope radio Thursday if the elections would be set for Dec. 20, Rajoy said another date in December was also possible. Rajoy says the date will be decided once Parliament approves the budget for 2016.

Opinion polls suggest that Rajoy's conservative Popular Party may win most seats in the next elections but will likely lose the majority it secured in 2011.

The governments hopes the turnaround in the economy from a double-dip recession to surging growth will help it stem the ruling party's dip in popularity ratings.