Motions of no confidence in Spain

There have been a total of six motions of no confidence in the Congress of Deputies against the presidents Suárez (1980), González (1987), Rajoy (2017 and 2018), Sánchez (2020, 2023).

Only one of them was successful: the second motion of no confidence against Rajoy was approved on June 1, 2018 and the candidate Pedro Sánchez was invested as President of the Government.

Article 113 of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and the Regulations of the Congress of Deputies establish the mode of operation of the motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister of Spain.

It must be proposed by at least one-tenth of the members of the Congress of Deputies (currently 35), and it must include a candidate for the presidency of the Government of Spain.

Once qualified, a period of two days is opened to present alternative motions, which must also be signed by 35 deputies and include a candidate for the presidency of the Government.

The outgoing Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (right) congratulates the incoming Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (left) upon losing the no confidence vote on 1 June 2018.
Prime Minister Felipe González during the motion of no confidence led by Antonio Hernández Mancha in 1987