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BBC News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Spain: Embattled Sánchez resists clamour for resignation
Seven years after taking office by ousting corruption-ridden conservatives from government, Pedro Sánchez is fighting for his political life amid investigations into alleged graft in his Socialist party (PSOE).On June 12, an ashen-faced prime minister apologised to Spaniards after audio gathered by civil guard investigators was made public and appeared to show the PSOE secretary, Santos Cerdán, discussing commissions paid by companies in exchange for public contracts.Sánchez has not himself been directly implicated, but the Socialist leader who came to power promising to clean up politics is now facing calls to resign from an invigorated who was party number three, has resigned from the PSOE and stepped down as a member of parliament. He is due to appear before the Supreme Court on 25 June. He maintains he has never committed a crime nor been implicit in one. The investigation into commissions is part of an ongoing probe which has already implicated José Luis Ábalos, a former PSOE secretary and transport minister. A third person implicated is Koldo García, an advisor to Ábalos. Both men featured with Cerdán in the recently exposed audio. All three say they have done nothing investigation into Ábalos, which began last year, was damaging for the government but his exit from the cabinet and the PSOE secretary post in 2021 put distance between him and Sánchez. However, the implication of Cerdán is more problematic.Sánchez had repeatedly defended him in the face of claims in the right-wing media over recent months that he was under investigation, and the prime minister even accused the opposition of "slandering honest people" when asked about Cerdán's activities last party secretary, from the northern region of Navarre, was a trusted confidant of the prime minister, playing a crucial role, for example, in negotiating the support of Catalan nationalists to allow the formation of a new government in acknowledging that he "should not have trusted" Cerdán, Sánchez has insisted that he will see out the legislature, which is due to end in a letter to PSOE members he apologised again, while doubling down."There are many issues that affect the lives of the majority – healthcare, housing, pensions, jobs, fighting climate change and defending equality – and for which it is worth fighting still," he wrote. "Challenges that are not solved with headlines or lynchings."However, the opposition has presented the investigation as symptomatic of a corrupt regime, pointing to other probes affecting Sánchez and his circle.A judge has been investigating the prime minister's wife, Begoña Gómez, for possible business irregularities - and his musician brother, David, is due to go on trial for alleged influence peddling in taking up a public post in the south-western city of Badajoz. Meanwhile, the Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz, is also likely to face trial for revealing confidential details of a tax evader. All three deny wrongdoing. Sánchez and his supporters have cast these three affairs as part of a campaign orchestrated by the conservative People's Party (PP), the far-right Vox, right-wing media and factions within the judiciary. A number of judicial experts have expressed surprise at the zeal with which the investigations have been carried a raucous parliamentary session this week, opposition MPs chanted "Dimisión" (Resign) at the prime minister, and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the PP, accused him of being "a wolf who has led a corrupt pack".Paco Camas, head of public opinion in Spain for polling firm Ipsos, sees a Sánchez resignation as "political suicide" for his party, because it would almost certainly trigger elections, allowing the PP to form a government, probably with the support of Vox."The overall trend right now is a demobilised electorate on the left, particularly for the Socialist party, and an enormous mobilisation of voters on the right, which is capitalising on the discontent with the government," Camas the Socialist president of the Castilla-La Mancha region, Emiliano García-Page, has warned that "there is no dignified way out" for the as long as Sánchez can keep his fragile parliamentary majority of left-wing and nationalist parties together there is little the opposition can do to bring him that end, the prime minister has been frantically trying to reassure these allies, many of who have voiced outrage at the Cerdán-Ábalos scandal. Camas believes that persuading them to support a 2026 budget could be a way for Sánchez to buy some such plans could be left in tatters were more explosive revelations to emerge, as many in the Socialist party worries will be playing on Sánchez's mind as he heads to the Nato summit in The an assured presence on the international stage, he will arrive with serious doubts about his future and under mounting pressure to raise Spain's defence his government has promised to increase military spending to 2% of economic output this year, it has been resisting calls from the United States and the Nato leadership to raise it further. Sánchez has now refused to accept a target of 5% of GDP for military spending, saying it "would not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive".
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Spain's parliament turns chaotic as Sánchez and opposition trade barbs
The first parliamentary session in Spain since a top aide of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was implicated in a corruption scandal quickly turned chaotic, with various lawmakers calling on Sánchez to resign as political pressure mounts against him. Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, first left the chamber without listening to Sánchez, staring at him with contempt as he passed by. 'You are indecent. And not even your supporters have any doubt about that. All of Spain knows it. You are corrupt and a traitor,' said Abascal before leaving the chamber. Then, People's Party (PP) lawmakers banged their seats during the session on Wednesday, shouting "Resignation, resignation". The Spanish premier chose to deploy an offensive tactic, referencing corruption cases linked to other parties. Sánchez spoke of the Gürtel case, which implicated hundreds of PP officers, some of whom subsequently resigned, with corruption, including bribery, money laundering and tax evasion. The PP parliamentary caucus erupted, and the situation quickly turned chaotic, with Parliament Speaker Francina Armengol struggling to control the session. 'You are a president deeply trapped in a corruption scheme. No matter how much you disguise it, you are not the victim. The victims are the Spanish people,' said Alberto Núñez Feijóo, PP party president. 'You came to say you won't call elections because you would lose them. You don't have to save the Spanish people from themselves; the Spanish people have to save themselves from you, and they await your resignation letter,' he added. Sánchez then said that the only thing he's going to address is the PP corruption cases, which are set to be tried in the coming months. Sánchez has completely changed his tone, moving from last week's apology to a coordinated offensive against the opposition PP and Vox. The Spanish leader believes they lack the legitimacy to speak about corruption, given their severe graft cases. The difference, as Sánchez notes, is that the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) acts as soon as there are signs, while the PP and Vox cover up corruption. Sánchez attempted to steer the session away from the PSOE's corruption case, but to no avail. The last few days have been very tense since audio recordings were released by Spanish police last week. The tapes confirmed that the third-highest-ranking PSOE official, who has since resigned, Santos Cerdán, was involved in an illegal scheme that saw him take kickbacks in return for awarding public work contracts. Cerdan has denied any wrongdoing.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Sánchez, Feijóo trade corruption allegations in parliamentary session
The first parliamentary session in Spain since a top aide of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was implicated in a corruption scandal took place on Wednesday. The session quickly turned chaotic with various lawmakers calling on Sánchez to resign as political pressure mounts against him. People's Party (PP) lawmakers banged their seats and shouted "Resignation, resignation!" The scene orchestrated by Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, who left the chamber without listening to Sánchez, and staring at him with contempt as he passed by. 'You are indecent. And not even your supporters have any doubt about that. All of Spain knows it. You are corrupt and a traitor,' said Abascal before leaving the chamber. The Spanish premier chose to deploy an offensive tactic as he referenced corruption cases linked with other parties. Sánchez spoke of the Gürtel case, which implicated hundreds of PP officers, some who subsequently resigned, with corruption, including bribery, money laundering and tax evasion. The PP parliamentary caucus erupted and the situation quickly turned chaotic, with Parliament Speaker Francina Armengol struggling to control the session. 'You are a president deeply trapped in a corruption scheme. No matter how much you disguise it, you are not the victim. The victims are the Spanish people,' said Alberto Núñez Feijóo, President of the PP. 'You came to say you won't call elections because you would lose them. You don't have to save the Spanish people from themselves; the Spanish people have to save themselves from you, and they await your resignation letter,' he added. Sánchez then said that the only thing he's going to address are the PP corruption cases, which are set to be tried in the coming months. Sánchez has completely changed his tone, moving from last week's apology to a coordinated offensive against the opposition PP and Vox. The Spanish leader believes they lack the legitimacy to speak about corruption given their serious graft cases. The difference, as Sánchez notes, is that the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) acts as soon as there are signs, while the PP and Vox cover up corruption. Sánchez attempted to steer the session away from the PSOE's corruption case, but to no avail. The last few days have been very tense since audio recordings were released by Spanish police last week. The tapes confirmed that the third highest ranking PSOE official who's since resigned, Santos Cerdán, was involved in an illegal scheme which saw him take kickbacks in return for awarding public work contracts. Cerdan has denied any wrongdoing. The European Parliament called on Wednesday for an extra one-and-a-half years to continue spending money under the EU's €650 billion post-pandemic plan, Next GenerationEU. The resolution, drafted by Romanian MEPs Victor Negrescu and Siegfried Mureşan, was adopted by 421 votes to 180, and with 55 abstentions. It stressed the need to ensure that key investments financed by the plan's so-called Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) reach the finish line before the deadline foreseen in August 2026. It proposed time extensions should apply only to projects that are already well underway and likely to succeed with additional time. Lawmakers also warned that the limited time remaining to allocate and implement the remaining RRF resources poses serious obstacles to completing critical reforms, large-scale investments, and innovative programs in some countries. With around 70% of objectives and milestones still unmet, MEPs urged the European Commission to consider setting up successor mechanisms that are both adaptive and forward-looking, while providing a stable framework for replace the plan to guarantee continued investment. 'Critical investments risk being left unfinished after the end of the Facility in August 2026. I called for an extension of funding of 18 months for mature projects and demanded that unfinished projects can continue under other EU instruments such as the cohesion funds, InvestEU, or a future Competitiveness Fund,' said Socialist MEP Victor Negrescu, co-rapporteur on behalf of the Parliament's Committee on Budgets. 'Today, the Parliament is sending a clear message: we stand by the citizens and fight for the finalisation of essential projects.' According to the resolution adopted by the Parliament, the RRF has been vital in preventing economic fragmentation within the EU's single market while spurring post-pandemic recovery. Looking forward, they call for targeted investment in areas such as defence, education, and high-speed cross-border transport infrastructure, while encouraging member states to revise their national investment strategies, in order to enhance the EU's energy independence. 'We are calling for a review of how unspent RRF funds can support Europe's new strategic priorities, notably strengthening competitiveness and reinforcing our defence capabilities. In the face of rising geopolitical tensions, Europe must act decisively to defend its citizens," stated European People's Party's MEP Siegfried Mureşan, who is co-rapporteur for the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Spain's Sanchez swerves ally's questions in parliament over graft case
FILE PHOTO: Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is also a leader of the Socialist ruling party (PSOE), holds a press conference after a senior official of the Spain's Socialists Party Santos Cerdan quitted over corruption claims, in Madrid, Spain, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Ana Beltran/ File Photo MADRID - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declined on Wednesday to say whether his name could crop up in a corruption investigation that has engulfed the ruling Socialists and seriously weakened his minority governing coalition. Sanchez spoke during a grilling in parliament over revelations in a police report that included recordings of one of his main confidants, Santos Cerdan, appearing to discuss kickbacks in exchange for awarding public works contracts. Cerdan has denied any wrongdoing. Political analysts say that if Sanchez's name were to appear in the investigation, his tenure as Socialist leader and prime minister would be in jeopardy. He did not respond to a question by Gabriel Rufian of the Catalan nationalist Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya party about whether he would swear that his name would not show up as the police pursue their inquest. Instead he accused Rufian, whose party is not in government but has backed it in some votes, of jumping to conclusions and said again that the report provided no indication that the Socialists had received illegal financing. "Our intolerance of corruption is absolute," Sanchez said. The police report is the latest and most severe of a series of scandals that has left Sanchez having to fend off calls from opponents and even some allies for snap elections. Sanchez has named a new temporary leadership of his party and promised an external audit of its accounts. He has also been having meetings with parties that supported his 2023 swearing-in, with many demanding further concessions for their policies in exchange for their continued support. But some allies are concerned the scandal will widen with more senior figures implicated. Sanchez has also faced a public backlash for having granted an amnesty to former members of the Catalan independence movement and has upset business leaders by agreeing to reduce the working week to four days. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Spain's Sanchez names new party leadership to limit damage from graft probe
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is also a leader of the Socialist ruling party (PSOE), holds a press conference after a Socialist Party meeting following a senior official's alleged graft case at headquarters in Madrid, Spain June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Nacho Doce Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is also a leader of the Socialist ruling party (PSOE), holds a press conference after a Socialist Party meeting following a senior official's alleged graft case at headquarters in Madrid, Spain June 16, 2025. REUTERS/Nacho Doce MADRID - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez named four people to take over the leadership of his Socialist party on Monday as he sought to contain the damage from a corruption inquiry that threatens the survival of his fragile minority government. Sanchez named the team to replace Santos Cerdan, who stepped down after a Supreme Court judge called him to testify over accusations in a police report that he discussed taking payments in exchange for awarding public works contracts. Cerdan, who was no. 3 in the party's hierarchy, coordinating between different regions as its organisational secretary, has said he will testify to prove his innocence. "We are not perfect, but we are uncompromising when it comes to corruption," Sanchez said in a press conference in Madrid. The new team will remain in place until July 5, when the Socialists will hold a party congress where a permanent replacement for Cerdan will be named, Sanchez said. Last week, Sanchez resisted calls for a snap election after the allegations emerged, instead promising an overhaul of the party and an external audit of its accounts. However, even some allies have raised concerns that those measures were insufficient to restore public trust for a party that came to power in 2018 after a no-confidence vote ejected then-Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the People's Party when it was embroiled in the biggest corruption probe in Spain's democratic history. A number of senior Socialist figures have called for an extraordinary party congress, while a former regional leader suggested Sanchez should call a snap election. Sanchez will on Monday evening kick off a series of meetings with coalition partners and informal allies, starting with Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz, of the junior coalition partner Sumar, who on Friday said that Sanchez's pleas for forgiveness over the probe were not enough and called for a "reset" of the government. However, with Sumar's support in the opinion polls having slipped, she is unlikely to pull the plug on the coalition and risk an election. That position is similar to that of other allies who support the government and would fear that any confidence motion or fresh election might usher in the far-right Vox party as coalition partners to the conservative PP. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
