Pallade Veneta - Spain ruling party bars members from hiring sex workers

Sanchez, 53, is facing the biggest crisis of his seven years in power. That was heightened on Monday by the detention of a former top official in his Socialist party, Santos Cerdan, in an investigation involving allegations of corruption and hiring sex workers.

In a bid to right the ship, the Socialist party announced that "soliciting, accepting or obtaining sexual acts in exchange for money" was now banned for party members, punishable by "the maximum sanction, expulsion from the party".

"If we believe a woman's body is not for sale, our party cannot allow behaviour contrary to that," Sanchez said.

"These are difficult times for everyone, without a doubt," he told party leaders at a meeting in Madrid, once again apologising for trusting those caught up in the growing scandal.

But he also reiterated his refusal to step down.

"The captain doesn't look the other way when seas get rough. He stays to steer the ship through the storm," he said.

The party also announced a leadership shake-up, replacing Cerdan as its number three official with 44-year-old lawyer Rebeca Torro.

The meeting started behind schedule after another close Sanchez ally, Francisco Salazar, who had been due to take a top leadership post, resigned.

Online news site eldiario.es said Salazar had been accused of "inappropriate behaviour" by several women who had formerly reported to him in the party.

Former transport minister Jose Luis Abalos has also been implicated in the investigation into kickbacks for public contracts.

The conservative opposition People's Party (PP) held a meeting of its own, looking to capitalise on the Socialists' stumbles.

"We're the only alternative to this state of decline," said PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, calling his party the answer to Spain's divisions and "political fatigue".

"Spaniards deserve a government that doesn't lie to them, that doesn't rob them but serves them," he said.

O.Merendino--PV