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Corruption allegations intensify around Spain’s government as MP resigns Spanish PM apologises to voters after MP resigns over corruption allegations
(about 3 hours later)
Spanish Socialist Workers’ MP resigns after judge finds ‘firm evidence’ of possible involvement in kickbacks Pressure grows for snap election as judge finds ‘firm evidence’ of Santos Cerdán’s possible role in kickbacks
The swirl of corruption allegations surrounding the centre-left government of Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has intensified dramatically after a senior member of his Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) resigned hours after a judge found “firm evidence” of his possible involvement in taking kickbacks on public construction contracts. Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has apologised to voters but ruled out a snap election after a senior member of his Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) resigned hours after a supreme court judge found “firm evidence” of his possible involvement in taking kickbacks on public construction contracts.
Sánchez – who became prime minister in 2018 after using a motion of no confidence to turf the corruption-mired conservative People’s party (PP) from office – is already contending with a series of graft probes relating to his wife, his brother, his former transport minister, and one of that minister’s aides. All deny any wrongdoing. A former PSOE member was also recently implicated in an alleged smear campaign against the Guardia Civil police unit investigating the corruption allegations. Sánchez, who became prime minister in 2018 after using a motion of no confidence to turf the corruption-mired conservative People’s party (PP) out of government, is already contending with a series of graft investigations relating to his wife, his brother, his former transport minister, and one of that minister’s aides. All deny any wrongdoing. A former PSOE member was recently implicated in an alleged smear campaign against the Guardia Civil police unit investigating the corruption allegations.
But the pressure on his administration increased further on Wednesday when reports emerged that the Guardia Civil had a recording of Santos Cerdán León, a PSOE MP and the party’s organisational secretary, discussing taking kickbacks on public contracts with the former transport minister, José Luis Ábalos, and one of the minister’s aides, Koldo García. The pressure on his administration increased further on Thursday when the judge announced he had “firm evidence” that suggested Santos Cerdán, the PSOE’s organisational secretary, had discussed taking kickbacks on public contracts with the former transport minister, José Luis Ábalos, and one of the minister’s aides, Koldo García. Cerdán stepped down from his party role and resigned his parliamentary seat shortly after the news broke.
On Thursday morning, a judge at Spain’s supreme court unsealed a case relating to the three men, saying there was “firm evidence of the possible involvement” of Cerdán in conspiring with Ábalos and García to receive money in return for the “undue awarding” of public contracts. The judge also invited Cerdán to testify voluntarily later this month. Speaking at a hastily convened press conference at his party’s headquarters, Sánchez asked for the forgiveness of Spanish citizens and of PSOE voters but said he had known “absolutely nothing” about the allegations concerning Cerdán until details of the Guardia Civil investigation appeared in the media.
Hours after both Cerdán and the PSOE insisted that he had never taken part in “any such conversations” and had never influenced the the awarding of public contracts, the MP stepped down from his role in the party and resigned his seat. “Until this very morning, I was convinced of Santos Cerdán’s integrity,” he said. “This morning we learned the full extent of the evidence and the evidence is very serious. Very serious. That’s why, as well as asking for Santos Cerdán’s resignation as organisational secretary of the party this afternoon … I will set up an external audit of the socialist party’s accounts.”
Cerdán insisted he was innocent in a statement announcing his resignation, explaining that he was standing down in order to “focus exclusively on defending myself and on providing relevant explanations that will show … that I have never committed and illegal act nor been complicit in one”. He also said he would testify before the judge on 25 June. The prime minister added: “Like any other person, I have my virtues and I have many shortcomings. Many shortcomings. But I have always believed in working for clean politics and fair play in politics.”
However, Sánchez said there would be no snap general election despite the PP’s repeated calls for a fresh poll in response to the corruption allegations.
“There will be no election until [the scheduled one] in 2027,” he said. “Because this isn’t about me or the socialist party or PSOE MPs; it’s about a political project that’s doing good things for the country.”
In a statement announcing his resignation, Cerdán insisted he was innocent and said he was standing down in order to “focus exclusively on defending myself and on providing relevant explanations that will show … that I have never committed an illegal act nor been complicit in one”. He said he would voluntarily testify before the supreme court, as requested, on 25 June.
Ábalos was sacked from Sánchez’s cabinet in 2021 and suspended by the PSOE in February last year after refusing to resign when his assistant, García, was accused of taking bribes to facilitate mask contracts during the Covid pandemic. Both are the subjects of ongoing corruption investigations and both have denied any wrongdoing.Ábalos was sacked from Sánchez’s cabinet in 2021 and suspended by the PSOE in February last year after refusing to resign when his assistant, García, was accused of taking bribes to facilitate mask contracts during the Covid pandemic. Both are the subjects of ongoing corruption investigations and both have denied any wrongdoing.
The PP, which organised a large demonstration in Madrid on Sunday to protest against the Sánchez government and to call for an early general election, said the case against the prime minister and his circle was now utterly damning. The PP, which organised a large demonstration in Madrid on Sunday to protest against the Sánchez government and to call for an early general election, said the case against the prime minister and his circle was utterly damning. The party’s leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, described Sánchez’s response as “insufficient and disappointing” and called again for a return to the polls.
“If anyone was in any doubt as to why we felt there was a mafia-style plot among the party and the government, we imagine that doubt has been dispelled,” the party’s leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo told parliament on Thursday. Sign up to Headlines Europe
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“If anyone was in any doubt as to why we felt there was a mafia-style plot among the party and the government, we imagine that doubt has been dispelled,” he told MPs earlier on Thursday.
Sánchez’s partners in the socialist-led minority government have also called for urgent action and answers.Sánchez’s partners in the socialist-led minority government have also called for urgent action and answers.
Yolanda Díaz, who serves as labour minister and one of the country’s three deputy prime ministers, said it was “a very serious matter that needs to be clarified and fully explained as soon as possible”. Yolanda Díaz, the labour minister and one of the country’s three deputy prime ministers, said the Cerdán allegations were “a very serious matter that needs to be clarified and fully explained as soon as possible”.