Spanish Prime Minister removed from office over corruption

 

Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy has been forced out of office by a no-confidence vote in parliament.

Socialist leader, Pedro Sánchez, who filed the motion after Mr Rajoy’s party was implicated in a corruption scandal, will become prime minister.

A total of 180 parliamentarians backed the motion, 169 voted against, with one abstention.

“We’re going to sign a new page in the history of democracy in our country,” Mr Sánchez said during vote.

Mr Sánchez secured a majority in the vote after gaining support from various smaller parties, including the Basque Nationalist Party.

Rajoy is the first prime minister in modern Spanish history to be defeated in a no-confidence motion.

The leader of the conservative Popular Party (PP) has been prime minister since 2011.