Corruption in Spain

In Spain 7th July 2025

PSOE Federal Committee: Sánchez Says Captain Does not Abandon Ship in Storm (If Necessary, He Sinks With It)

Permanently blackmailed by his legislative partners—ranging from the far-right Catalan party Junts to the communists of Sumar or the heirs of ETA—the PSOE has been unable to present a budget in two years, and the processing of every law has become an impossible mission. It was known that governing after losing the elections, with impossible alliances, would lead to an impossible labyrinth. The dead end we find ourselves in today….

In Spain 23rd June 2025

Public Procurement Fraud Reports Soar by 87% Since 2019, but Only Four Out of Ten Investigated

Reports of fraud in public procurement have skyrocketed by 87% since 2019, but they remain very few in proportion to the volume of operations, hardly any are investigated, and practically none end up in court. This information is handled by the government itself through the Independent Office for the Regulation and Supervision of Public Procurement (OIReScon), as reported by El Mundo newspaper. This is the main and most forceful conclusion…

In Spain 14th October 2024

The corruption premium

J.P. Marín-Arrese | The corruption scandal involving a former minister, second in command of Mr Sánchez in the Socialist party, not only inflicts political damage. It dents Spain’s credibility as a reliable country. The disclosure of the tepid way an unscrupulous gang managed to ransack public funds and indulge in influence peddling portrays a dismal picture of governance enforcement. Even PM Sánchez proved most economical with the truth at Parliament when…

Spanish Politics 12th April 2022

The Mask Scandal Deserves A “Forensic”

Fernando González Urbaneja | Amongst the characteristics of advanced democracies, in addition to clean and regular voting, the separation of powers, the existence of a militant public opinion, i.e. with independent and critical media… there is also a system of accountability, of explaining the actions of the government to the citizens. For example, on the succession of scandals linked to the urgent and disorderly purchases of health equipment to deal…

In Europe 3rd November 2014

Getting soaked in corruption

MADRID | By Fernando G. Urbaneja | Over the last couple of years, polls have been registering the rise of corruption on the list of the major concerns for Spaniards, and now it is the second largest concern –behind unemployment. At the same time, expectations for the next elections have been plummeting, especially for the major parties, which have been affected most by corruption. Throughout the democratic history of the country, the two biggest Spanish parties usually gathered three quarters of the parliamentary seats. Now, they barely reach half of that amount.

In Europe 31st October 2014

Corruption in Spain: Something rotten in the state of democracy

MADRID | By Sean Duffy | At this point, many Spaniards just shrug or roll their eyes. Perhaps you will occasionally see a strong shake of the head in cases of extreme exasperation. To universal dismay, this week brought yet more allegations of corruption against the ruling Popular Party.

Spanish economy 6th December 2013

Corruption ranks second in Spaniards’ worries

MADRID| Fernando G. Urbaneja| Spanish leaders try to diminish the importance of corruption in the country’s political sphere. They say it is not a general practice, that cases in the public eye are manageable exceptions. But citizens do not seem to agree.

In Europe 11th November 2013

Why is Spain Under Suspicion- A Foreign Correspondent’s View

MADRID | By Stefanie Claudia Müller | Foreign media is astonished by how rarely Spaniards seem to protest against corruption within their own state. Although the correspondents try to sell these stories, at home no one seems to be much interested in publishing them, because the fact of a corrupt Spain is according to many European newspapers “old news.” This highlights the fact that Spain’s image problems are not recent.