Embattled Spanish PM to face no-confidence vote this week

MADRID – Spain's opposition Socialists say the country's parliament has scheduled a debate and no-confidence vote on Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy for later this week.

A party spokeswoman said Monday National Congress Speaker Ana Pastor and Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez, who is bidding to replace Rajoy, have agreed to hold the extraordinary sessions on Thursday and Friday. The spokeswoman declined to be identified due to internal party rules.

All major opposition parties are calling for Rajoy to step down after courts ruled that the governing Popular Party profited from a large kickbacks-for-contracts scheme involving businesspeople and former party members.

But Sanchez has yet to enlist enough support to defeat Rajoy in the no-confidence vote. The pro-business Ciudadanos party is refusing to support Sanchez and is seeking a new general election.