Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Photo: Reuters
Sanchez denies allegations of widespread corruption in his party
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez today rejected the opposition’s accusations of systemic corruption among his socialists. He was also critical of a recent court order ordering his wife Begona Gomez to stand trial on corruption charges and banning her from leaving the country until the trial is over.
June 24, 2026, 2:32 p.m
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“Some actors in politics and the media are trying to mix things up, put them on the same level and confuse people in order to create the impression of widespread corruption, which (…) doesn’t exist,” Sanchez said in his address to parliament.
He was also critical of the court’s decision regarding his wife, who ordered a trial on Saturday and prohibited her from leaving the country until the end of the proceedings. As he said, the court’s actions exceeded all limits of reason. Gomez is otherwise charged with embezzlement, abuse of influence, business corruption and illegal appropriation of funds.
The case is one of several corruption cases that have recently weighed on Sanchez’s political circle and put pressure on his minority coalition government.
For example, the Supreme Court recently sentenced former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos to 24 years in prison for corruption. Along with Abalos, once the most influential man in the Socialist Party (PSOE) and a key figure in Sanchez’s political rise, Abalos’ former adviser Koldo Garcia was also convicted.
They were accused of receiving commissions for the awarding of public contracts worth several million euros for the purchase of protective masks during the covid-19 pandemic. The court found them guilty of membership in a criminal group, corruption, embezzlement of public funds and influence peddling.
“I never knew about any of these practices, nor would I have allowed them,” Sanchez said of Abalos’ conviction.
Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who is considered an important figure of the Spanish left and an ally of Sanchez, is also suspected of corruption. In May, the judge launched an investigation against him, accusing him of running a hierarchical structure whose purpose was to collect bribes, which the politician denies.
