E , ▁P De CAT , ▁P N V ▁and ▁NC a ▁( 9 7 ). ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁motion ▁of ▁no ▁confidence ▁to ▁be ▁registered ▁in ▁Spain ▁by ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁group ▁different ▁than ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁largest ▁ones . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁Second ▁R ajo y ▁Government ▁was ▁sw orn ▁into ▁office ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁after ▁a ▁ten - month ▁political ▁dead lock ▁and ▁two ▁general ▁elections ▁and ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Social ist ▁Work ers ' ▁Party ' s ▁( P SO E ) ▁decision ▁not ▁to ▁block ▁Mar iano ▁R ajo y ' s ▁invest iture ▁bid . ▁However , ▁the ▁resulting ▁government ▁was ▁a ▁minor ity ▁one , ▁and ▁throughout ▁the ▁en su ing ▁months ▁it ▁strugg led ▁to ▁get ▁its ▁b ills ▁passed ▁into ▁law . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁r uling ▁People ' s ▁Party ▁( PP ) ▁came ▁under ▁increasing ▁political ▁pressure ▁after ▁a ▁political ▁sc andal ▁in ▁Mur cia ▁forced ▁regional ▁President ▁Pedro ▁Antonio ▁S ánchez ▁to ▁res ign , ▁having ▁been ▁accused ▁of ▁several ▁cor ruption ▁cr imes . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁after ▁only ▁five ▁months ▁into ▁its ▁term , ▁the ▁P P ▁was ▁sh aken ▁by ▁a ▁succession ▁of ▁events ▁that ▁sm ashed ▁attempts ▁to ▁rela unch ▁the ▁party ' s ▁image . ▁Just ▁as ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁R ajo y ▁was ▁called ▁to ▁test ify ▁as ▁witness ▁at ▁the ▁G ür tel ▁gra ft ▁trial , ▁a