The Ongoing Court Cases Impacting Spain's Ruling Socialist Party
Overview of Legal Challenges Facing the PSOE
MADRID, May 29 (Reuters) - Spain's ruling Socialist Workers' Party faces several court cases involving allegations of graft, influence-peddling and other crimes that have implicated members of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's inner circle.
Sanchez has not been named in any of the cases to date.
There are more than a dozen people being investigated or tried, including his wife and brother, high-ranking party officials, and an influential former Socialist premier.
Here is a rundown of each case:
Face Masks Scandal
Allegations and Key Figures
• In September 2023, prosecutors filed charges against seven public figures including Koldo Garcia, an adviser to former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos, who was later also charged.
• Investigators accused them of collecting kickbacks on public contracts for the bulk purchase of face masks and medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Abalos, who denies wrongdoing, was in 2024 expelled from the PSOE, where he served as organisation secretary from 2017 to 2021.
Legal Proceedings
• The Supreme Court held a trial in April 2026. A ruling is pending.
• Prosecutors seek a 24-year prison sentence for Abalos, who was freed before the trial after spending several months in jail. Abalos and Garcia denied wrongdoing during the proceedings.
Investigation into the Prime Minister's Wife
Nature of the Case
• In April 2024, a Madrid judge began probing whether Sanchez's wife, Begoña Gomez, used her position to secure sponsors for a university master's degree programme she directed, allegedly bypassing a public bidding process.
• Sanchez says the case is politically motivated and driven by far-right opponents.
• The charges are backed by far-right party Vox and other groups, which are seeking a prison sentence for Gomez.
Current Status
• A pretrial hearing is scheduled for June 9. The judge must then decide whether to open trial or close the case, as the prosecutor requests. Gomez denies wrongdoing.
Probe into the Prime Minister's Brother
Allegations
• In May 2024, a judge opened an investigation into the premier's brother, David Sanchez, for allegedly securing his public job in the Socialist-controlled provincial council of Badajoz through nepotism. The case is based on allegations from far-right group Manos Limpias.
Trial and Defense
• The trial started on May 28 and runs until at least June 4. Prosecutors want the case closed for lack of evidence. His lawyer asked for the case to be closed, saying it was pure lies.
Kickbacks and Party Corruption Allegations
Santos Cerdan Case
• In June 2025, Santos Cerdan - a lawmaker who succeeded Abalos as the party's number three - was called to testify voluntarily over allegations that high-ranking PSOE officials received kickbacks for public works contracts. The probe originated from the mask scandal. He stepped down as a lawmaker and left the Socialist Party.
• He faces charges of bribery, belonging to a criminal organisation and influence-peddling.
• Cerdan was placed in pretrial detention but conditionally released in November 2025 and now awaits trial. He denies wrongdoing.
Cash Payments Sub-Investigation
• In a spin-off of the Cerdan case, the High Court is examining whether the PSOE ran an undeclared internal slush fund to make opaque cash payments to senior party figures, including Abalos.
• The PSOE has ruled out the existence of illegal financing, but its own internal audit found some "surprising" expenses charged to the party by Abalos' secretariat.
• The investigation is ongoing and the details are secret.
Zapatero and Plus Ultra Case
Former Prime Minister Under Scrutiny
• In May 2026, a High Court judge placed former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero under investigation for allegedly leading an influence-peddling and money-laundering network.
• Among the network's clients was the Spanish airline Plus Ultra, which obtained a pandemic recovery loan of €53 million, the judge said.
• Zapatero, a key Sanchez ally, denied any wrongdoing. Sanchez supported his predecessor's innocence.
• Zapatero was summoned to testify on June 17 and 18.
Allegations of Court Meddling
New Investigation in 2026
• In May 2026, a Madrid judge disclosed a separate investigation involving Cerdan, other PSOE officials, lawyers, a businessman and a police officer.
• The judge said the suspects had attempted to influence public administration decisions and undermine any judicial proceedings or police actions that affected the interests of the PSOE or the government.
• The judge has requested various documents and electronic files from the party's headquarters. Cerdan has not publicly commented on the allegations.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Emma Pinedo, David Latona and Corina Pons; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Sharon Singleton)
