Former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was ousted from power last week in an unprecedented motion of no-confidence vote, announced on Tuesday that he would be stepping down from his role as president of the conservative Popular Party (PP) and leaving frontline politics.

Rajoy took on the presidency in 2003, having been hand-picked by outgoing PP Prime Minister José María Aznar. Since then, he has lost two general elections (2004 and 2008), and won three (2011, 2015 and 2016), spending nearly seven years in power (2011 to 2018).

Speaking to his party’s national executive committee in Madrid on Tuesday, a tearful Rajoy began his speech by saying: “I want my first words to be thanks to all of you for the support and the displays of affection.” He continued: “I have felt greatly comforted by your support these last days, which have not been easy for anyone.”

The time has come to bring this journey to an end Former PM Mariano Rajoy

He soon turned his attention to Pedro Sánchez, the new prime minister of Spain, and the man behind the motion of no-confidence filed against Rajoy in response to a damning court ruling in the so-called Gürtel case, a corruption probe that has plagued the PP for years.

“Someone who has never won an election is now prime minister of the government,” he said of Sánchez, who has taken power with just 84 seats out of 350 in Congress thanks to the support of other parties including left-wing anti-austerity group Podemos and pro-Catalan independence groups. “Many of you have suffered a similar situation: you have won elections but you have not been able to govern.”

In reference to the support Sánchez garnered in order for his vote to prosper, Rajoy stated that the new prime minister was accompanied by “sectarian pro-independence [parties], and populist groups, and that stigma will accompany this government from the first moment of its existence until the end.

“The PSOE has squandered its entire legacy to embark on a highly uncertain project, with bad traveling companions: the radical pro-independence Catalans and [pro-independence Basque nationalist] Bildu, something that has never before happened.”

The Sánchez government, he continued, has been born with “extreme weakness,” and with “budgets that we approved and that some of those who supported Mr Sánchez have already tried to veto.”

An extraordinary PP congress will be called to elect a new leader

In reference to the Gürtel ruling, which sparked this political crisis, Rajoy referred to the situation as one of “post-truth.” “The PP was not found criminally guilty for Gürtel, nor did the PP government have anything to do with the case, nor was it taken to court nor did it evade its political responsibilities.”

The ruling found former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas guilty of evading more than €11.5 million in taxes between 2000 and 2009, and of taking €1.24 million in bribes in exchange for facilitating public contract awards to business figures. The three-judge panel also found that the PP as a legal entity benefited financially from Gürtel’s corrupt practices. It was sentenced to pay €245,492. Since the ruling was made public, Rajoy has insisted that the corruption case was something that belonged to the past.

Rajoy also pointed to what he considers his government’s achievements in the Spanish economy, stating that “yesterday we saw the best unemployment figures for May in our history, and we are about to achieve the highest level of people signed up to the Social Security system since July 2007.”

The view of Spain, he added, “is exactly the opposite to the one when we arrived in government.”

After thanking his party colleagues for their “enormous loyalty,” which elicited applause from the attendees, he announced that he would be standing down as president of the PP. “The time has come to bring this journey to an end.

“I have had the privilege of being your president for 14 years, the best of my political life,” he continued. “I want to thank you for your support and help… in all circumstances, when we were celebrating successes and when we were facing adversity.”

He added that he would continue to be a member of the party and that an extraordinary PP congress would be called to elect a new leader.

Internal battle for power Outgoing Deputy Prime Mininster Soraya Saenz de Santamaria during last week’s no-confidence debate in Congress. Victor J Blanco ©GTRESONLINE The abrupt exit of Rajoy from the Popular Party (PP) leadership has opened an internal battle within the conservative group. In the frame to replace him are the current regional premier of Galicia, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, outgoing Defense Minister María Dolores de Cospedal, outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, current Congressional speak Ana Pastor and outgoing Health Minister Alfonso Alonso. For now, Cospedal will remain in her role as general secretary of the PP, something that leaves her in a position of strength for the leadership battle. Weakened, however, is Santamaría, who has been left with simply her role as a deputy in Congress, and as such lacking any territorial influence or a platform from which she could campaign as a candidate.

English version by Simon Hunter.</s>RENATA BRITO

 Barcelona, Spain.- Spain’s ousted prime minister Mariano Rajoy announced Tuesday he will step down as leader of the country’s conservative Popular Party, just days after his government fell in a noconfidence vote prompted by a corruption scandal.

An emotional Rajoy, who has led the party for 15 years, told party members in Madrid that it was time to end his “journey” and hand over the leadership to someone else at a party congress later this year.

“It is the best for me and for the Popular Party, and I think for Spain as well,” the 63-year-old politician said. Lawmakers voted to oust Rajoy as prime minister last Friday following a corruption scandal involving several former members of his party. He was replaced as prime minister by Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez</s>MADRID: Spain’s former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Tuesday he would stand down as leader of the People’s Party (PP) after his party was ousted from government in a no-confidence vote from Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez.



“It’s best for me, best for the party and best for Spain,” Rajoy said to a standing ovation from party members.

The Socialists replaced the PP as the country’s leaders on Friday after parliament passed a no-confidence motion against Rajoy over a slew of corruption cases.</s>Mariano Rajoy is to step down as leader of Spain’s conservative People’s party (PP) after being ousted as prime minister last week in a no-confidence vote called amid anger over corruption within the party.



Announcing his decision on Tuesday afternoon, Rajoy said: “It’s best for me and for the PP. I think it’s also best for Spain.”

Rajoy, who served as prime minister for almost seven years, said that while he could not imagine life outside the party, the time had come for him to go.

“I’ve been a grassroots member and party leader,” he said. “I’ve been a councillor and prime minister. But now it’s time to bring it to an end. The PP will carry on moving forward with its history of service to the Spanish people.”

The party’s executive committee is due to meet in the next few days to call a conference to elect his successor and begin what Rajoy termed “a new phase”. He will remain in position until his replacement is chosen.



Rajoy, 63, was often described as the great survivor of Spanish politics, but he was forced from office last Friday after parliament passed the motion of no-confidence by 180 votes to 169, with one abstention.

The motion had been proposed by the socialist PSOE party after Spain’s highest criminal court found that the PP had benefitted from a kickbacks-for-contracts scheme in a case that became emblematic of the party’s corruption. Judges in the case also questioned the credibility of Rajoy’s testimony when he was called to give evidence as a witness.

Pedro Sánchez, the PSOE leader, was sworn in as prime minister on Saturday. He has promised to address the country’s “pressing social needs” and to call a general election before the end of the current legislature in 2020.

Sánchez has also offered dialogue to try to resolve the Catalan independence crisis. On Tuesday, it was announced that Josep Borrell, a former European parliament president, would serve as Spain’s new foreign minister.

Borrell, who was born in Catalonia and was a minister in the PSOE government of Felipe González, has been an outspoken critic of Catalan independence.

In October last year, he dismissed the rhetoric being used by some in the independence movement.

“Catalonia isn’t like Lithuania, Kosovo or Algeria,” he said. “It’s not an occupied or militarised territory.”</s>Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s former premier whose government was toppled last week in a no-confidence vote, announced on Tuesday that he was also quitting his party’s helm.

“The Popular Party should continue advancing and constructing its history of service to the Spanish people under the leadership of another person,” he announced in a press conference on Tuesday.

Rajoy has been the head of Spain’s right-wing Popular Party since 2004. His resignation from the post comes days after he became the first Spanish leader in modern history to be ousted in a parliamentary vote.

As prime minister from 2011, Rajoy led Spain out of a deep financial crisis, but was also embattled by corruption charges that brought down several high-ranking members of his party.

“I’m doing it [resigning] for two reasons: it’s the best for me, and for the Popular Party. In other words, it’s the best for the Popular Party and for me, and I also believe, for Spain,” he explained in his characteristically diffuse style.

Rajoy will remain leader of his party until a new candidate is chosen.</s>Spain's former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says he will step down as leader of the conservative People's Party after 14 years.

He was removed as prime minister last week when he lost a no-confidence vote in parliament after several former party officials were found guilty of corruption.</s>Mariano Rajoy, who was last week ousted as prime minister of Spain, on Tuesday said he will quit as leader of the conservative Popular Party.

“It is the best thing for the Popular Party and for me. And I think for Spain as well,” Rajoy said at PP headquarters in Madrid.

A majority of Spanish lawmakers on Friday backed Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez’s motion of no confidence in Rajoy. The Socialists launched the initiative to oust Rajoy following a court ruling last month in which 29 people, including former senior officials from the Popular Party, were sentenced to a total of 351 years in prison for corruption.

Sánchez presented the motion of censure in Congress by accusing the conservative leader of asking Spaniards to accept corruption “as a chronic illness that you want to heal by looking to the other side.”

Sánchez was sworn in as prime minister Saturday morning by King Felipe VI.

Read this next: EU’s top court sides with same-sex couple over residency rights</s>Spain's former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Tuesday announced he was resigning as leader of the conservative People's Party (PP) after losing power in a no-confidence vote.

MADRID: Spain's former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Tuesday announced he was resigning as leader of the conservative People's Party (PP) after losing power in a no-confidence vote.

"It's best for me, for the party, and it's best for Spain," Rajoy said to a standing ovation from party members.

The Socialists replaced the PP as the country's leaders on Friday after parliament passed a no-confidence motion against Rajoy over a slew of corruption cases.

Rajoy had already been under fire for his handling of a secession crisis in Catalonia, with many voters turning away from his PP to the centre-right Ciudadanos.

"He is doing the best thing for his party," Teneo Intelligence analyst Antonio Barroso said. "It will open a renewal process inside the PP. It was the only party that had not renewed its leadership over the past years and it was dragging it down."

Rajoy will still function as head of the party until a party congress agrees on his successor.

Twenty-nine people related to the PP, including a former treasurer and other senior members, were convicted in May of offences including falsifying accounts.

Rajoy became the first sitting prime minister in Spain to give evidence in a trial when he was called as a witness in the case last year, prompting calls for him to resign. He has denied any wrongdoing.

In his ruling, the judge said there was evidence the party ran a slush fund for many years and that the credibility of Rajoy's testimony denying it "should be questioned".</s>MARIANO RAJOY, the Prime Minister of Spain from 2011 until he was ousted in a no confidence vote last week, has said he is leaving politics today (Tuesday).

The former head of the Spanish government added he was stepping down as the leader of the conservative Partido Popular (PP). He added at meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee that he would stay on in a caretaker role until his successor is chosen.

The party is now set to begin to process of selecting a new head ahead of elections set to be held anytime before July 2020.

Rajoy said the last few days had not been easy for him but that he had felt comforted by the support of his colleagues in the party.

“The time has come to put an end to this story. The PP must continue advancing under the leadership of another person,” he said.

Rajoy said he would be loyal to his replacement and pledged not to make any organisational changes to the PP prior to the selection of the new leader.

He added his handling of the financial crisis, confronting last year’s secession push in Cataluña and his refusal to negotiate with the ETA Basque terror group were his leading accomplishments.

Rajoy said the new left-leaning Partido Socialista (PSOE) government of Pedro Sanchez was weak and said the PP would be a strong opposition.

Rajoy’s departure ends a political career that has spanned more than 30 years. He was dubbed the ‘survivor’ of Spanish politics but he was forced out of office last week in the wake of the Gürtel kickback-for-contracts scandal.

The PP will now set in motion the selection process for Rajoy’s successor. Former Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, Ex-Public Words Minister Iñigo de la Serna and Congress of Deputies President Ana Pastor have all been tipped for the role.</s>The former prime minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, who was recently ousted from office by a motion of no confidence in parliament, announced Tuesday that he would step down as leader of the right-wing Popular Party.

Rajoy, who had been president of the conservative party since 2004, said he would shortly call a meeting with the party's board of directors in order to elect a successor.
Former Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy resigns as the leader of People's Party, four days after losing the no-confidence vote that ended his premiership.