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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 14 June 2017

Spain PM Rajoy fends off criticism in no-confidence debate

alternative leader. bered as the president of
But Podemos only has 67 corruption.”
deputies in the 350-seat Podemos’ No. 2, Irene
parliament and not many Montero, listed the dozens
supporters. of corruption cases engulf-
The leading opposition So- ing Rajoy’s party and de-
cialist party, with 84 depu- manded that it “give the
ties, rejects Rajoy but is stolen money back, every
likely to abstain rather than cent of it, and ask for for-
support Iglesias, whom it giveness.”
deems to be an anti-estab- Rajoy has been dragged
lishment populist. into one of the most dam-
Rajoy heads a minor- aging of the cases, an al-
ity government since elec- leged kickbacks-for-con-
tions last year. His party, tracts scheme to finance
with 134 seats, should have party activities. He testifies
the support of the cen- as a witness in the case July
trist Ciudadanos party’s 32 26.He argued there were
deputies and several small- cases of corruption in all
er groups. parties but said it was not
Iglesias pummeled Rajoy the norm and no case in-
with accusations and said volved any member of his
Spain’s Prime Minister and leader of the Popular Party Mariano Rajoy holds a cup of water during he would “be remem- government. q
a motion of no confidence session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Tuesday, June 13, 2017.
Spanish lawmakers have begun debating a motion of no confidence against conservative Prime
Minister Mariano Rajoy, called in protest over the large number of corruption scandals involving
his ruling Popular Party.
(AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
By CIARAN GILES confidence debate called to get the required back-
Associated Press against him because of the ing of an absolute majority
MADRID (AP) — Conserva- myriad corruption scandals of deputies needed to oust
tive Spanish Prime Minister involving his ruling Popular Rajoy.
Mariano Rajoy on Tuesday Party. Rajoy did battle chiefly with
defended his government After over 12 hours of de- Pablo Iglesias, leader of
and its success in getting bate, a confidence vote the far-left Podemos party,
Spain’s economy out of cri- was scheduled for Wednes- who presented the motion
sis during a marathon no- day but was not expected and his candidacy as an
Merkel’s party wins deals to govern 2 states

BERLIN (AP) — Chancellor most state, Schleswig-Hol- agency dpa reported.
Angela Merkel’s conserva- stein, the conservatives are Only the Greens were also
tive party reached agree- heading into government in the state’s outgoing gov-
ments Tuesday to form new with the pro-business Free ernment, which was led by
coalition governments in Democrats and the tradi- the Social Democrats.In
two German states, party tionally left-leaning Greens Germany’s most populous
leaders said, a little over — a combination known state, North Rhine-West-
three months before a na- as a “Jamaica” coalition phalia, Merkel’s Christian
tional election.Merkel’s because the parties’ colors Democrats and the Free
Christian Democrats beat match those of that coun- Democrats last month won
their center-left rivals, the try’s flag. It has been tried an unexpected one-seat
Social Democrats, in a only once before at state majority to govern togeth-
pair of state elections last level, and never in a na- er. The two parties’ regional
month that were the final tional government. leaders told dpa Tuesday
tests before the Sept. 24 na- Regional conservative that they had concluded
tional vote in which Merkel leader Daniel Guenther a coalition deal to govern
is seeking a fourth term. said Tuesday that “we have the state, traditionally a
In the country’s northern- agreed on all points,” news center-left stronghold. q