Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez rejected calls for snap elections despite mounting sexual harassment allegations and corruption investigations involving members of his Socialist Party. In his end-of-year address on Monday, Sánchez defended his government’s record, highlighting early adoption of anti-harassment protocols, legislation promoting gender balance, and efforts to combat gender-based violence both domestically and abroad.
“Like everyone else, we have made mistakes,” Sánchez acknowledged, but insisted Spain’s progress on equality has been driven by successive progressive governments. He dismissed criticism from the right-wing opposition, comparing their stance to that of the Spanish inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada, while accusing them of neglecting misconduct within their own ranks.
Sánchez also addressed corruption inquiries that have led to arrests of former allies, including ex-Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, stressing that no evidence suggests systemic rot within the Socialist Party, unlike the scandals that toppled Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government in 2018.
Despite pressure from coalition partners, including calls for a cabinet reshuffle, Sánchez vowed to complete his term, prioritising legislative achievements over early elections. He warned that a government collapse could empower the far-right Vox party, framing the choice as a defence of progressive governance. His stance, however, continues to test the patience of parliamentary allies uneasy with ongoing scandals.
via Euronews
