Spanish left-wing Podemos party plans to pass a vote of no confidence for the President of the country’s government Mariano Rajoy Brey, local media reported Thursday.
According to news outlet El Mundo, the party has initiated contacts with other parliamentary groups in relation to the possible no-confidence motion after a number of corruption crimes were detected involving members of the ruling People’s Party (PP).
“We are in the state when democracy is in an emergency, while the citizens are constantly being robbed,” the outlet quoted Podemos’ Secretary General Pablo Iglesias Turrion as saying.
Rajoy’s governance has been overshadowed by a number of corruption scandals including the landmark Gurtel case launched in October 2016, after nine years of investigations. Under the case, 37 PP members were accused of involvement in a corruption network by giving public contracts worth over 350 million euros ($382 million) after having received bribes. Some of the involved PP members, including the party’s treasurer, testified that the PP leadership was aware of the scheme.
Opposition has demanded Rajoy step down and rallied in protest, while Rajoy rejected any accusations of being aware of the situation.
Media reports suggested earlier in April that Spain’s National Court summoned Rajoy to testify as a witness in the Gurtel trial, the date of the hearing however, has not been announced.