BORJA SANCHEZ-TRILLO / EPA
A series of scandals involving government officials and family members threaten the survival of the minority government led by Spain socialists.
The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchezonce acclaimed as a corruption combatantwhich overthrew a conservative government marked by scandals, is now in the center of multiple investigations that threaten to end their political career.
The 53 -year -old socialist leader who made history in 2018 by becoming the first opposition leader to successfully use a censure motion To overthrow an acting government, it faces what political analysts in Spain describe as the most crucial battle of your political life.
According to, the current crisis reached its peak last week when Santos Cerdánthe right arm of Sánchez and organizational secretary of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), resigned after a Supreme Court judge found “Firm evidence” of its possible involvement to receive illegal committees in public works contracts.
The case of Santos Cerdán is linked to the cases of the former Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábalosand your former advisor, Koldo Garcíaboth implicated in separate corruption schemes.
Abb Dismissed from the Sánchez Office in 2021 and suspended by PSOE in February 2024, after García was accused of accepting bribes to facilitate masks During Covid-19 pandemia.
Evidence in the meantime leaked allegedly show Santos Cerdán to discuss illegal commissions with abbils and garcíaand instruct García to interfere with the 2014 party vote that brought Sánchez to power as leader of PSOE.
Audio recordings of Rude conversations between aboles and garcía to discuss prostitutes also emerged, damaging the reputation further of the government.
The allegations of corruption extend beyond the political circle of Sánchezreaching your family. To their wife, Begoña Gómezis under investigation by alleged corruption and trafficking in influenceaccused of using their position to get sponsors for a university masters course he was driving.
The case was started by Clean hands (Clean hands), a far-right pressure group with history of pursuing political targets through the courts.
Sánchez denounced the investigation as “Lawfare” (use of systems and legal institutions to affect external or domestic issues) and described it as “a Ugly trap driven by far-right groups“.
However, the Prime Minister’s brother, David Sánchezfaces a trial for allegations of trafficking in influences and other offensesaccusations that denies.
Cases against both family members led Sánchez last year to make a Five -day break from public functionswhile considering he would continue as Prime Minister.
The Web of Investigations created a toxic political environment that threatens the stability of Spain’s minority government.
Although the opposition popular party (PP), led by Alberto Núñez Feijóodo not have the necessary votes for a successful censorship motion, PSOE parliamentary allies-small Basque and Catalan nationalist parties- could remove their support if they consider that the socialist brand is too damaged.
A Irony of Sánchez’s situation It is particularly striking given to its rise to power. In 2018, managed to overthrow the conservative government of the then Prime Minister PP Mariano Rajoywhich was bogged down in corruption scandals and damaged by judicial decisions that the party profited with illegal committees.
Sánchez He positioned herself as a champion of clean politicspromising to restore democratic health to Spanish governance.
The political scientist Pablo Simónof the University Carlos III of Madrid, believes that the current legislature is effectively finisheddescribing the situation as “terminal“.
Simón argues that the allegations reach the core of credibility Progressive PSOE, particularly Given the feminist position of the party and the approach to zero tolerance for corruption.
These scandals are particularly worrying for European social democracy, since Sánchez is one of the last center-left leaders of the EU.
The crisis arises at a time when far right parties gain strength throughout Europe, with the Vox Party of Spain potentially benefiting of public disappointment with traditional politics.
O The Guardian Recalls the case of Portugal, where the PS ended in 3rd place Behind the far-right party arrives, after scandals of corruptionthat “serve as a sober reminder of the potential consequences” of these cases.
Despite the increasing pressure, Sánchez continues to defend the history of your government, highlighting your achievements – including economic recovery, reduced tensions in Catalonia and progressive legislation on issues ranging from menstrual license to immigration policy. However, these achievements risk being overshadowed by corruption allegations.
Maybe more notably, Sánchez also contradicted the political trend continental to defend immigration and its benefits. “Spain needs Choose between being an open and prosperous country or a closed and poor country“, I told Parliament in October.” It’s that simple. “
The next few weeks will determine the future of the Prime Minister, but some believe that Sánchez government days are counted.
“As I see, the legislature is over“, Says Pablo Simón. The political scientist considers that the allegations of irregularities in the primary of PSOE, the apparent use of prostitutes -“ which breaks all that image of a feminist government who believes in equality ” – the perceived hypocrisy of a party that professed an approach to zero tolerance for corruptionand the repeated shouts of Lawfare and Sánchez’s conspiracy now add up to a condemnatory whole.
“With these Four pillars of the demolished government’s narrativethe situation is now terminal, ”he said.“ We do not know how the legislature will end or when it will end, but We are now in the final decreasing count… And no one knows exactly what can arise else. ”
