MADRID (AP) Spains opposition Socialists tried to persuade smaller parties to support the ouster of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoys conservative government as a tense parliamentary debate opened Thursday on their no-confidence motion.
To secure the votes needed to replace Rajoy, Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez promised to uphold a recently negotiated national budget that includes substantial benefits for Basque nationalists and vowed to open dialogue with separatists in the new Catalan government.
Backing from nationalist lawmakers would give enough votes.
