Recently, allegations of corruption have risen against figures who are close to the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. These include his wife, brother, former officials in his party, and former premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
On June 1, 2018, Pedro Sanchez was elected Spain’s Prime Minister after the vote of confidence in Mariano Rajoy, a conservative leader. This motion, which was initiated by the Gurtel scandal and supported by an extensive coalition of nationalist and left-wing parties, was in response to the Gurtel Corruption Scandal.
This parliamentary majority became the basis for a new cycle of politics in Spain.
Sanchez has been in power since then through an alliance that combines three groups: the Socialist Workers’ Party, Unidas Podemos, and Sumar, as well as a variety of nationalists located mainly in Catalonia and Basque Country.
The coalition has proven to be more durable than expected. The coalition has been able to survive the pandemic and deliver major social and labor reforms. It also secured enough support in parliament for Sanchez’s continued office following the general elections of 2023.
The coalition is now becoming more fragile. For the first time in 2018, it is possible that the PSOE could be at the root of the instability.
First signs of weakness were seen amongst the PSOE’s left-wing parties. The coalition that was once centered around Unidas Podemos has fragmented. Its successor, Sumar is struggling to keep its constituent parties united. It has become harder to control the second pillar of the coalition, which is made up of nationalists and regional parties who support Sanchez’s position in parliament.
Consequences are evident.
Since 2022 the government hasn’t approved a budget for state, instead relying on budget extensions and parliament defeats are common.
Sanchez, and the PSOE in general, remained the strongest assets of the coalition despite these challenges. Sanchez has consistently exceeded expectations. He’s survived electoral setbacks and maintained his central role in Spanish politics. The Socialists were a stable alternative to the coalition partners who created uncertainty. This may be about to change.
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Allegations of corruption
In the last two years, an increasing number of allegations and investigations have been made against figures associated with the PSOE or Sanchez’ inner circle. These cases concern former party leaders, people in the inner circle of Sanchez and close government officials.
Government supporters claim that the investigations were textbook examples of “lawfare”, a politically motivated use the courts in order to attack or undermine enemies. This view is supported by the fact that some of these corruption accusations were brought forth by Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), a self-styled union with links to far-right groups.
The critics, however, claim that these cases are a legitimate reflection of judicial scrutiny on those who hold power.
The political implications are evident, irrespective of the interpretation that prevails.
Last year, the attorney general’s office was disqualified in an investigation involving disclosure of sensitive information. Sanchez’s sister is being tried over accusations relating to the appointment of Sanchez to a post in public sector, while Sanchez is under investigation. Koldo, the scandal that allegedly implicated former party and ministerial officials in the corruption scheme involving the purchase of masks for pandemics was the most damaging to the PSOE.
The pressure has only increased.
Leire Diez, a PSOE party member, is accused by party officials of seeking out information about corruption cases and applying pressure to judges who are investigating them.
Sanchez hasn’t been directly implicated in the various cases. However, accusations of corruption, leaks of recordings, political interference, and favouritism have all combined to form a storm of allegations around him.
Latest blow was the investigation of former Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero for his alleged connections to Venezuela and Plus Ultra airline. The PSOE is concerned about the implications of the investigation, not just judicially but also politically.
Zapatero is the oldest and most influential member of the PSOE. He has always supported Sanchez and is regarded by many as the totem of Spanish left.
A Spanish businessman Julio Martinez appeared before the Senate Investigative Committee regarding the “Koldo Case” and the bailout for the airline Plus Ultra which was linked to the former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Gil Corzo/Shutterstock
Zapatero is not just a symbol of the PSOE, but also for the Socialist generation that ruled Spain from 2004 to 2011. Most people remember him for his expansion of social rights.
This includes the legalisation and reformation of abortion, as well as same-sex union. The image of a progressive politician has largely obscured the memory of austerity, cuts in spending and his agreements with right-wing Popular Party.
Leftists have been enraged by the allegations made against him. Gabriel Rufian, a left-wing Catalan politician who spoke at Spain’s congress national on May 20th, summarized the sentiment in a single sentence: “If true it is shit.” If it is a lie it’s worse.
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The narrative is losing control
These allegations have changed the topic of public discussion. It is not one that the government has chosen. Spanish voters are still concerned about housing, inflation, and the public service system, but allegations of corruption have become a major focus in media and politics.
Any government faces a major challenge. Incumbency has many advantages, including the power to set the agenda.
If governments are unable to shape the political agenda, they find themselves in a position of weakness, reacting rather than steering events.
In Sanchez’s situation, the symbolism stands out. In 2018, his rise to power was a result of a vote against Mariano Rajoy’s PP after the party became embroiled in its own corruption scandals. His opponents have tried to portray the PSOE in a similar light eight years after his election.
What is the end of an election cycle?
It is time to take a step back. Since 2018, Spanish politics have shown remarkable consistency. Sanchez is in power longer than most observers anticipated, and has navigated a divided parliament as well as a polarised environment.
Spain’s current left-wing administration is the longest lasting in its democratic history. Sanchez’s eight-year tenure comes second to Felipe Gonzalez of the PSOE who was in power from 1982-1996.
It is also impossible to ignore that certain of the allegations made in the recent wave could have been motivated by political or judicial lawfare. After Sanchez won a second mandate in 2023, the words of the former PP Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar still ring true on the right.
“Whoever is able to do it should do it.” That means, remove the current government using any and all available methods.
The former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar during the 2025 European People’s Party Congress held in Valencia. Flickr, CC BY EPP
Sanchez has led governments that have had notable successes in policy, such as reforms of the labour market, an increase in minimum wages, and a proactive role in European affairs and international affairs.
The government is pushing to regularise more than 500,000 illegal migrants.
Sanchez is a man of extraordinary political endurance, even his detractors acknowledge this. After eight years, however, many observers, especially on the right believe that Spain is nearing the end of its political cycle.
This isn’t the only reason for the allegations of corruption and the judicial investigation.
Left-wing parties are now weaker and their relations with allies in parliament have become complicated. The legislative productivity has decreased. In regional elections, the party did poorly in Extremadura and Castile and Leon. It also performed badly in Aragon and in its former stronghold, Andalusia.
It does not mean, however, that the government of Sanchez is about to collapse. Prime Minister Sanchez has no reason to announce an election in the near future, especially when the majority of opinion polls indicate that a coalition consisting of the PP with the far-right Vox party could be the best alternative.
It is not clear whether voters are now firmly against Socialists. Spanish politics has shown repeatedly that the public’s opinion can change quickly, particularly during elections. The mood is different.
The PSOE was the most important pillar of the Spanish coalition government for many years.
The problems usually stemmed from the junior coalition members or allies in parliament. For the first time in history, it appears that the centre party of the coalition is the primary source for uncertainty.
The impact of the allegations is being felt, regardless of whether they lead to convictions or exonerations, as well as political dead-ends. The allegations have undermined the ability of the government to control the political agenda.
They’ve also increased tensions between coalition partners and fuelled speculation on the future of the 2018 ruling coalition.
This is reminiscent of Felipe Gonzalez’s final premiership years in the 1990s which were marked by allegations of corruption and the GAL Scandal. These last years were often seen as the gradual decline of the long-running socialist government, and the lead up to Jose Maria Aznar’s 1996 victory.
Are we now, thirty years on, witnessing the end of Sanchez’s era, and the beginning of a new alliance of far-right and right-wing forces? Answering yes would be premature. The broad coalition which brought Sanchez to the top seems weaker today than it has been in the past eight years.
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