On a Friday morning in the beginning of June, Spain’s lower house, the Congress of Deputies, ousted the prime minister of the Popular Party (PP), Mariano Rajoy, in a “no confidence” motion led by Socialist party leader Pedro Sanchez. On Saturday morning, Sanchez was sworn in as Rajoy’s successor, the first time that a no-confidence vote has thrown out a parliamentary elected government in Spain.

The action was set off by a ruling by a high level anti-corruption court, the Audiencia Nacional, declaring illegal financing received by the Popular Party from “friendly contractors” that got generous public infrastructure contracts. Part of the slush money was funneled to top party officials.