Elisa Menendez
SPANISH Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is officially out after this morning’s vote of no-confidence in Madrid.
Some 180 MPs voted to oust the head of the PP and replace him with PSOE leader, Pedro Sanchez.
Rajoy has become the first prime minister in Spanish history to be removed from office through a no-confidence vote.
“It has been an honour to leave a better Spain than the one I found. I hope that my successor will be able to say the same when his time comes,” Rajoy said.
Socialist leader, Sanchez, 46, will officially become the seventh prime minister of the Spanish democratic government, when President of the Congress, Ana Pastor, delivers the news to the King at La Zarzuela Palace at 3.30pm today.
The vote concluded with an absolute majority of 180 votes in favour – 176 were needed to unseat Rajoy – with 169 against and only one abstention.
After six years in power, 63-year-old Rajoy had chosen not to resign and wished Sanchez good luck half an hour before the vote of no-confidence was held against him.
“It has been an honour. Good luck to everyone,” he added.
Sanchez has promised to respect the former government’s budget and is open to starting dialogue with Catalunyan secessionists within the framework of the constitution.
He also announced he is willing to call an election in the coming months but will focus on social and educational reforms before setting a date.
It comes after the Socialist leader filed a no-confidence motion against Rajoy, following a string of corruption scandals which have dogged the Conservative PP party, including the most recent Gurtel case.
The Socialist party, who had just 84 seats, joined with opposition parties Podemos, ERC, Compromís and Nueva Canarias.
The deal was clinched when it gained the support of a number of Basque and Catalunyan nationalist parties – PNV, PDeCat and Bildu.
Be nice if the “social reforms” included repeal of the infamous “gag law”.