Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday dared the country’s right-wing and far-right opposition parties to bring forward a no-confidence vote against his minority coalition government, amid growing pressure from a corruption scandal engulfing his socialist (PSOE) party.
The controversy surrounding a senior PSOE figure has intensified both legal and political scrutiny on Sánchez, one of the European left’s longest-serving leaders, as several individuals in his inner circle remain under investigation.
Calls for Sánchez to step down have intensified, with the main opposition People’s Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party demanding his resignation. This follows a judicial report released last week alleging that prominent socialist member Santos Cerdán received kickbacks linked to the suspicious allocation of public contracts. ALSO READ: Spanish PM apologises, after senior politician resigns due to alleged link to corruption probe.
Following a lengthy crisis meeting with senior PSOE members at the party’s Madrid headquarters, Sánchez dismissed the idea of snap elections and responded forcefully to opposition demands – despite neither party holding a majority in parliament.
‘They should present a no-confidence motion and tell parliament and the citizens what model of country they want for Spain,’ Sánchez said.
The report also named José Luis Ábalos, a former transport minister and a close former ally of Sánchez, as well as his ex-adviser Koldo García.
The Guardia Civil’s anticorruption unit (UCO) has uncovered recordings allegedly indicating that up to four construction companies owed kickbacks to Cerdán and two other socialist party officials, allegedly as payment for rigging awards of public works.
The conversations are allegedly between Cerdán, Ábalos and Koldo García, his aide, and according to the police report, Cerdán ‘managed’ a series of ‘financial compensations’ allegedly paid by the Spanish infrastructure giant Acciona to Ábalos and García. The sums involved amounted to up to a million euros, the report said.
Cerdán, the party’s third-highest official, stepped down from his role as organisation secretary last week. On Monday, he also resigned as an MP, while the party permanently expelled Ábalos, who continues to serve in parliament as an independent.
In defence of how his party has handled the allegations, Sánchez maintained that the socialists were ‘clean’ and said, ‘We will not cover up the corruption that emerges in our ranks, however painful it may be.’
Sánchez also told reporters: ‘The so-called Koldo case is the only one to date involving alleged corruption, as there is still no verdict, that has affected my organisation since I have had the honour of leading it.’
The socialist prime minister once again rejected calls to resign or to hold early elections, instead announcing his intention to meet this week with the left-wing groups – including the Sumar group, his coalition partner and led by deputy PM Yolanda Díaz – as well as the Basque nationalist and Catalan pro-independence groups that currently support his government.
‘We will not allow the potential corruption of a few to jeopardise Spain’s good course,’ Sánchez said. ‘We will not allow it to undermine the integrity of one of the cleanest public administrations in the history of our country. We will not allow it to topple the largest progressive government still standing in the European Union.’
The PP renewed its push for Sánchez’s resignation and a fresh vote, with party spokesperson Borja Semper telling journalists, ‘the only possible, dignified future is giving the Spanish people their say’. ALSO READ: ‘Mafia or Democracy’ – tens of thousands join PP’s 6th anti-government rally in Madrid.
Beyond the case involving Cerdán, on-going legal inquiries are also focused on Sánchez’s wife Begoña Gómez, his brother David Sánchez, and also Spain’s attorney general, Álvaro García Ortiz, who was appointed by the Socialist-led government. ALSO READ: Spain’s Attorney General moves closer to going on trial over alleged legal leaks.
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ALSO READ: Court to probe if Air Europa bail out by Spanish PM was conflict of interest.
ALSO READ: Smear campaigns & ‘mafia practices’ – the alleged corruption saga against Spain’s PM rolls on.
Estas son las medidas contra la corrupción que ha compartido la CEF en la mañana de hoy:
— PSOE (@PSOE) June 16, 2025
1. Expulsión de José Luis Ábalos como militante del PSOE.
2. Nueva auditoría externa.
3. La Secretaría de Organización estará liderada por Cristina Narbona, Borja Cabezón y Montse Mínguez en… pic.twitter.com/LsgatthBUe
Compartimos la decepción e indignación.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) June 17, 2025
Pero vinimos a mejorar la vida de la gente y vamos a seguir adelante. Con la misma ilusión y ganas que el primer día.
Contad conmigo. Cuento con vosotros.
Mi carta a la militancia:https://t.co/sCpGL7adK5 pic.twitter.com/sLOSXOPGNQ
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