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WORLD NEWS Saturday 21 July 2018

Rajoy says farewell as Spain's conservatives seek new leader

Associated Press who was deputy prime of its worst crisis in decades.
MADRID (AP) — Former minister until June, and law- He also said that, despite
Spanish Prime Minister Mari- yer Pablo Casado, 37. difficulties, his government
ano Rajoy vowed loyalty to The winner faces the chal- had handled well the chal-
his Popular Party in an emo- lenges of reuniting a party lenge by Catalan separat-
tional farewell Friday as the split by a bitter leadership ists over the northeastern
conservative party seeks to battle and rebuilding its region's sovereignty, which
retake power in Spain. scandal-tarred reputation became a full-blown po-
The 63-year-old politician as rival new parties, both litical crisis late last year. He
lost a parliamentary vote on the left and the right, also took pride from "de-
last month to his Social- upend Spain's traditional feating" the militant group
ist party opponent, Pedro bi-partisan politics. ETA, which fought for de-
Sanchez, in the wake of Rajoy, who led the party for cades for Basque indepen-
graft convictions for mem- 14 years, has vowed not to dence. In 2017, Rajoy be-
bers of his center-right par- interfere in the election of came the first sitting Span-
ty. his successor. In this file photo dated Thursday, May 31, 2018, Spain's Prime ish prime minister to testify
Now in the opposition, "I'm taking a step aside, but Minister Mariano Rajoy and Popular Party leader listens to as a witness for his party's
Popular Party members on I'm not leaving," Rajoy told speeches during session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid. corruption misdeeds. In a
Friday began a two-day a full auditorium, adding: "I Associated Press ruling last May, the court
congress to choose a new will be loyal." fined the party for benefit-
leader between Soraya Instead, in an emotion- speech, Rajoy defended ity to steer the eurozone's ing from a kickbacks-for-
Saenz de Santamaria, 47, al 40-minute televised his record applying auster- fourth-largest economy out contracts scheme.q

Poland's parliament OKs tighter grip on judicial branch

BY MONIKA SCISLOWSKA will also make it easier for The job and the indepen-
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — the party to influence the dence of the Supreme
Poland's parliament voted work of judges in lower Court's chief justice are at
Friday to approve legisla- courts. It still needs ap- the center of a major politi-
tion that will make it easier proval from the Law and cal battle in Poland.
for the ruling party to ap- Justice-controlled Senate, Recent legislation has low-
point the president and and from President Andrzej ered retirement age limits
members of the Supreme Duda, who hails from the for judges to 65 from 70, so
Court and influence judg- party. the ruling party considers
es. The party argues the chief Judge Malgorzata
It was the latest develop- changes are designed to Gersdorf to be retired.
ment in the right-wing rul- make the justice system Gersdorf, however, has
ing party's overhaul of the more efficient and remove continued to show up for
justice system that has communist-era judges. work, insisting that, accord-
sparked outrage from the A protest by opponents ing to Poland's constitution,
opposition and from inter- was taking place Friday her term runs until early
national law experts. Euro- in front of the parliament 2020.
pean Union leaders say the building. Attending a conference in
changes threaten member In the heated debate, op- Karlsruhe, Germany, Gers- Government opponents protest before the parliament building
Poland's rule of law and position lawmakers said dorf said she wants Poles in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, July 20, 2018.
have opened sanctioning the Law and Justice party to understand that actions Associated Press
procedures. was dealing a deadly blow taken by the ruling party
Dominated by the ruling to Poland's justice system. are against the constitu- Court) president-in-exile," November referendum
Law and Justice party, the Piotr Misilo of the Modern tion, but as judge she has she told reporters. on whether the country's
lower house voted 230-24 party said Law and Justice no power to counter them. Earlier Friday, Duda, the constitution should be
with four abstentions to ap- members will be taken to If a new chief justice is ap- president, said he is hop- changed and if so, to what
prove the legislation that court for their actions. pointed "I will be (Supreme ing to win approval for a extent.q