Spain PM Sánchez denies corruption, calls smear

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has forcefully rejected allegations of systemic corruption within his government and Socialist Party, dismissing them as a politically motivated smear campaign. He made the defense during a special parliamentary session on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, as his administration faces mounting pressure from a series of high-profile convictions and investigations involving former allies and family members.

The prime minister's remarks came just days after Spain's Supreme Court sentenced his former right-hand man and ex-Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos to 24 years in prison. The court found Ábalos guilty of leading a criminal organization that secured kickbacks from contracts for 13 million face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sánchez stated he never knew of nor would have tolerated such practices, arguing that the cases represent isolated incidents, not widespread graft. He accused the conservative opposition and certain media outlets of orchestrating a campaign to destabilize his government.

Opposition leaders were swift to condemn Sánchez's defense. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the center-right Popular Party (PP), demanded the prime...