#SPAIN: PM Rajoy Ousted By No Confidence Vote; New Socialist PM Was Economics Professor

[world politics news]

Mariano Rajoy, once viewed as the great survivor of Spanish politics, has been ousted as prime minister in a vote of no confidence after several former members of his party were convicted of corruption in a case that proved to be one scandal too many. He will be replaced by Pedro Sánchez, the leader of Spain’s opposition socialist PSOE party, which tabled the motion to unseat him.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: PM Files Appeal Against Catalan Parliament's "Fast-Track" Bills To Pave Way For Referendum

[world politics news]

The Spanish government has filed an appeal with Spain's constitutional court against a reform passed by the Catalan parliament to fast-track bills through the regional parliament, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said. Catalonia's majority separatist lawmakers hope the reform they approved will pave the way for an independence referendum in the wealthy northeastern region called for October 1st which Madrid deems illegal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Parliament Approves Probe Of PM Rajoy's Popular Party Over Alleged Illegal Funding

[world politics news]

Spain's parliament will probe the alleged illegal funding of the conservative Popular Party, an accusation that has long plagued Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's party but hasn't ever been proven. Lawmakers in the lower house, including those in the PP, have voted to create an investigative commission into the allegations, as proposed by the Socialists and two other opposition parties.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: PM Rajoy Hopes To Make Deal With Post-Brexit Britain; Seeks Joint Sovereignty Over #Gibraltar

[world politics news]

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says he thinks a deal can quickly be worked out with Britain to defend the rights of British expats in Spain after Brexit. Rajoy also says he would use Brexit to renegotiate with London the status of Gibraltar, the tiny territory on Spain's southern tip that was ceded to Britain in 1713. He hopes for joint governance of the territory between the UK and Spain, and offer dual citizenship to its citizens. Many Spanish citizens work in Gibraltar each day.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: PM Drops Foreign Min. From Cabinet; Loudest Critic of UK In Gibraltar

[world politics news]

José Manuel García-Margallo, who sparked regular spats with Gibraltar due to his vocal desire to see the Rock returned to Spain, has been replaced as foreign minister by a career diplomat in Mariano Rajoy's new cabinet.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: PM Rajoy Wins Confidence Vote, Ending Months Of Political Stalemate

[world politics news]

Spain's 10 months without a government ended this weekend, as parliament grudgingly granted conservative Mariano Rajoy a second term as prime minister. After two inconclusive elections and months of fruitless attempts at coalition-building, a controversial decision by the opposition Socialists to abstain allowed Rajoy to be confirmed as prime minister.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: Socialist Leader Sanchez Faces Revolt, May Resign If Coalition Supported

[world politics news]

Spain's Socialist Party has been dealing with an internal "coup" attempt this week after half of its leadership quit in a bid to oust leader Pedro Sanchez and unblock the country's political deadlock. Sanchez says he will step down Saturday if the party votes to pursue a coalition with interim Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's Conservatives, which he has blocked for months.

#SPAIN: PM Rajoy's Party Advances In Elections, Signalling Poss. End Of Stalemate

[world politics news]

The center-right People's Party is projected to win an overall majority in Galicia's regional parliament. Meanwhile, the Basque Nationalist Party looks set to win the vote in its region. Spain has not had a functioning government for almost nine months. The regional elections are expected to help break the political stalemate.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SPAIN: New Political Chaos Looms As Parliament Rejects Acting PM In Confidence Vote

[world politics news]

Spanish MPs Wednesday rejected acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's bid for a second term, deepening the country's political crisis and triggering a countdown to a third election in a year. Rajoy, leader of the conservative Popular Party, lost the vote with 189 votes against and 170 in favor after an often bitter debate in parliament. He needed 176 votes in the 350-seat assembly but was backed only by his own party, the centrist Citizen's Party and one MP from the Canary Islands.

#SPAIN:PM Rajoy Wins Support Of Citizens' Pty.; Hopes To Finally Form Gov't Aug. 30

[world politics news]

Spain's acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy will try to persuade Parliament to let him form a government in a debate scheduled to begin Aug. 30. Ana Pastor, the Speaker of Parliament, announced the date after conservative Popular Party leader Rajoy clinched a deal with the smaller Citizens/Ciudadanos Party to support his bid to return to power.

#SPAIN: Acting PM Rajoy Unable To Form Gov't - Again, Third Nat'l Election In 9 Months Looms

[world politics news]

Spain's acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy warned on Tuesday that the country may have to hold a third round of elections, after his Socialist rival refused to back his efforts to form a coalition government. Spain's been without a fully functioning government for more than seven months, after the national Dec. 20th election left Rajoy's Popular Party short of an absolute majority in parliament while upstart parties Ciudadanos and Podemos shook up Spain's two-party system.

#SPAIN: Gov't Takes Catalan Separatist Legislators To Court Again, Seeks To Nullify Secession Moves

[world politics news]

Spain has asked the Constitutional Court to nullify a text approved by Catalonia's parliament urging the region to push ahead with its independence drive, warning separatist lawmakers of severe consequences. The text passed on July 29 outlines the steps Catalonia - a northeastern region of 7.5 million people that is divided over splitting from Spain - needs to take to defend its right to self-determination.

#SPAIN: PM Rajoy Suggests End To "Siesta" To Spur Workforce Productivity

[world politics news]

The Spanish Prime Minister has announced moves to cut the working day by two hours and bring an end to the siesta- a three-hour break in the middle of the workday - in an attempt to bring the country into line with its European counterparts.

#SPAIN: Conservatives, Far-Left & Citizen's Party Unite To Fight Catalan Separatists

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, facing criticism for not doing enough to stand up to the increasingly popular Catalonia Independence movement, has struck a deal with opposition Far-Left Podemos Party and the new center-right Citizen's Party (whose leader suggested the pact) to oppose the movement at all costs. A national election will be held Dec. 20.

Pictured: Citizen's/Ciudadanos Party Leader Albert Rivera (L) and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

#SPAIN: PM Rajoy Calls Dec. 20 Election Amid Party Strife & Corruption Charges

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has called a general election for Dec. 20, insisting he is the best candidate to win the ballot despite unrest within his party. Rajoy stressed continuity and stability, arguing that he's best placed to safeguard the recovery, but his party dogged by corruption allegations, many of its traditional voters have been drawn to pro-market party Ciudadanos

#SPAIN Two Months Before Elections, Conservative Gov't Slapped By #EU For Deficits

[world politics news]

Spain has been reprimanded by The European Commission, which ordered the country to submit a new draft budget with lower deficit estimates to avoid violating the bloc's tough spending rules, a blow for the government ahead of the Dec. 20 general election.

Pictured: Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy.

#SPAIN: Ex-Party Official Accuses PM #Rajoy Of Knowing About "Irregular" Payments To Politicians

[world politics news]

The day after leaving prison, the former treasurer of Spain's ruling Popular Party, Luis Bárcenas, reignited a corruption scandal on Friday, months ahead of a general election, by alleging Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy knowingly tolerated irregular payments to politicians.

#SPAIN: PM #Rajoy Tells Catalans He Seeks New Economic Reforms, Won't Compromise On Independence

[world politics news]

Hoping to detract from a growing popular movement in Catalonia for independence, Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy told Catalans recently he hopes to inaugurate sweeping new economic and social reforms to ease the country's ongoing and deep recession.

#SPAIN: #Catalan Independence Ldr #Mas Faces Prosecution For Unofficial Separatist Vote

[world politics news]

Catalan Pres. Artur Mas will face prosecution from the central government for going ahead with a Nov. 9 unofficial vote that showed that 80% supported separation from Spain. Mas is planning an official vote which may lead to full independence for the wealthy northeastern Spanish region within two years.

#SPAIN: Defying Supreme Ct Ban, #Catalonia Holds Non-Binding Independence Vote

[world politics news]