Spain's Socialist PM loses ally over sex harassment allegations
Francisco Salazar, a close ally of Mr Sánchez, stepped back as a deputy in the organisation's secretariat and asked for the allegations to be investigated, the Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) said in a statement.
The PSOE said it would begin an inquiry immediately, adding that no allegations had been made through its usual channels.
The move came in response to a media report that Mr Salazar had made inappropriate sexual advances to a younger female member of staff for the PSOE.
The woman, who has not been named, told the El Diario news outlet that Mr Salazar had made sexual comments and invited her to sleep at his house.
News of the resignation came moments before Mr Sanchez was due to speak at his party HQ as he sought to assuage fears over sleaze.
Speaking an hour later than scheduled, Mr Sanchez called for any woman suffering sexual abuse to use the channels provided by the party to report it.
'If we believe that a woman's body is not for sale, then there can be no room for behaviour that contradicts this belief,' he said, without mentioning Mr Salazar.
The PSOE on Saturday named Rebeca Torro as Cerdan's replacement as secretary of organisation and two deputies. Salazar would have been the third deputy secretary.
Mr Sanchez is coming under increased pressure after several senior figures in his party have been linked to a police corruption investigation.
Santos Cerdán, the party secretary, resigned last month when the Spanish press reported that the police had evidence linking him to a scheme in which companies were charged in return for government contracts.
The prime minister, who came to power in 2018, apologised to the public in the wake of the allegations, claiming he had been 'mistaken' to put his trust in Mr Cerdán.
On Monday, a Supreme Court judge ordered that Mr Cerdán be held in pre-trial detention. He denies the allegations.
José Luis Ábalos, a member of Mr Sanchez's cabinet up until 2021, is also at the centre of a graft investigation allegedly linking him to hundreds of thousands of euros in illicit payments. He has denied any wrongdoing
Since 2023, Mr Sanchez has led a fragile minority government in which he relies on the support of the hard-Left and regionalist parties.
In recent weeks, speculation has increased that the long-time prime minister has lost the support of his coalition and will have to call a snap election.
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Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Spain's Socialist PM loses ally over sex harassment allegations
Pedro Sánchez, Spain's embattled prime minister, has suffered a blow in his attempt to draw a line under a corruption scandal after a new appointee resigned over sexual harassment allegations. Francisco Salazar, a close ally of Mr Sánchez, stepped back as a deputy in the organisation's secretariat and asked for the allegations to be investigated, the Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) said in a statement. The PSOE said it would begin an inquiry immediately, adding that no allegations had been made through its usual channels. The move came in response to a media report that Mr Salazar had made inappropriate sexual advances to a younger female member of staff for the PSOE. The woman, who has not been named, told the El Diario news outlet that Mr Salazar had made sexual comments and invited her to sleep at his house. News of the resignation came moments before Mr Sanchez was due to speak at his party HQ as he sought to assuage fears over sleaze. Speaking an hour later than scheduled, Mr Sanchez called for any woman suffering sexual abuse to use the channels provided by the party to report it. 'If we believe that a woman's body is not for sale, then there can be no room for behaviour that contradicts this belief,' he said, without mentioning Mr Salazar. The PSOE on Saturday named Rebeca Torro as Cerdan's replacement as secretary of organisation and two deputies. Salazar would have been the third deputy secretary. Mr Sanchez is coming under increased pressure after several senior figures in his party have been linked to a police corruption investigation. Santos Cerdán, the party secretary, resigned last month when the Spanish press reported that the police had evidence linking him to a scheme in which companies were charged in return for government contracts. The prime minister, who came to power in 2018, apologised to the public in the wake of the allegations, claiming he had been 'mistaken' to put his trust in Mr Cerdán. On Monday, a Supreme Court judge ordered that Mr Cerdán be held in pre-trial detention. He denies the allegations. José Luis Ábalos, a member of Mr Sanchez's cabinet up until 2021, is also at the centre of a graft investigation allegedly linking him to hundreds of thousands of euros in illicit payments. He has denied any wrongdoing Since 2023, Mr Sanchez has led a fragile minority government in which he relies on the support of the hard-Left and regionalist parties. In recent weeks, speculation has increased that the long-time prime minister has lost the support of his coalition and will have to call a snap election.
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Fresh scandal hits Spain's ruling party as official quits over sexual harassment claims
Pedro Sánchez's efforts to reset Spain's ruling socialist party after damaging corruption allegations that threatened to topple his coalition government have suffered a severe setback after a party official resigned over accusations of sexual harassment. The prime minister had hoped this weekend's meeting of the federal committee of his Spanish Socialist Workers' party (PSOE) would help the party move past weeks of scandals that have undermined the ethical and anti-corruption pledges on which it came to power seven years ago. But such hopes were flattened late on Friday night after the online newspaper elDiario published allegations from various female PSOE workers who said they had been subjected to sexual harassment by Francisco Salazar, who oversaw institutional coordination at the Moncloa palace, the office and official residence of the prime minister. The accusations prompted Salazar to announce on Saturday that he was stepping down from that post and from his new role as a deputy in the PSOE's organisational secretariat. He told elDiario he could not recall any inappropriate interactions. 'I've racked my brains over it and it seems mind-boggling to me,' he said. 'I keep wondering if I've screwed up and said something inappropriate to a workmate, and the truth is, I can't find [an example].' Sources at Moncloa, in Madrid, said an investigation had been launched, but added that no official complaints had so far been made against Salazar. On Saturday, Sánchez apologised again for what he called his misplaced confidence in those accused of wrongdoing, adding: 'I was wrong to place my trust in people who didn't deserve it, but we won't fall short in a time of democratic regeneration.' The prime minister, who is under growing pressure to call a snap election, said he had no intention of stepping down. 'The captain doesn't shirk his responsibility when the sea gets rough; he stays put to ride out the storm and guide the ship to port,' he said. Salazar's resignation is the latest blow to the prime minister's authority and judgment. On Monday, Santos Cerdán – who served as the PSOE's organisational secretary and was Sánchez' right-hand man – was remanded in custody after a supreme court judge found 'firm evidence' of his possible involvement in taking kickbacks on public construction contracts. The investigation began after the Guardia Civil police anti-corruption unit handed material to the court that suggested Cerdán had discussed taking such kickbacks with the former PSOE transport minister José Luis Ábalos and one of the minister's aides, Koldo García. Ábalos and García are also under investigation and have denied wrongdoing. Cerdán, who stepped down from his party role and resigned his parliamentary seat shortly after the news broke, has vowed to clear his name. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion Sánchez, who became prime minister in 2018 after using a motion of no confidence to turf the corruption-mired conservative People's party (PP) out of government, is already contending with graft investigations relating to his wife and his brother, who deny any wrongdoing. A former PSOE member was also recently implicated in an alleged smear campaign against the Guardia Civil unit investigating the corruption allegations. The PP said the latest allegations were further proof of the prime minister's poor judgment and his unfitness to lead the country. 'He has no credibility and his supposed fight against corruption and sexism is mere posturing,' PP sources said on Saturday. 'Sánchez is as good at being prime minister as he is at talent-spotting. Either there aren't many decent people in his party or he's not very good at choosing people who deserve to be in Spanish politics.' Calls for a fresh election are also beginning to bubble up within some sections of the socialist party. Emiliano García-Page, the PSOE president of the Castilla-La Mancha region, said the time had come to let parliament and the people have their say. According to elDiario, García-Page used Saturday's party meeting to ask Sánchez to consider holding a confidence vote in parliament. 'I don't know if we'll win it,' he said. 'But if we don't, then don't rule out the option of calling an election.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Fresh scandal hits Spain's ruling party as official quits over sexual harassment claims
Pedro Sánchez's efforts to reset Spain's ruling socialist party after damaging corruption allegations that threatened to topple his coalition government have suffered a severe setback after a party official resigned over accusations of sexual harassment. The prime minister had hoped this weekend's meeting of the federal committee of his Spanish Socialist Workers' party (PSOE) would help the party move past weeks of scandals that have undermined the ethical and anti-corruption pledges on which it came to power seven years ago. But such hopes were flattened late on Friday night after the online newspaper elDiario published allegations from various female PSOE workers who said they had been subjected to sexual harassment by Francisco Salazar, who oversaw institutional coordination at the Moncloa palace, the office and official residence of the prime minister. The accusations prompted Salazar to announce on Saturday that he was stepping down from that post and from his new role as a deputy in the PSOE's organisational secretariat. He told elDiario he could not recall any inappropriate interactions. 'I've racked my brains over it and it seems mind-boggling to me,' he said. 'I keep wondering if I've screwed up and said something inappropriate to a workmate, and the truth is, I can't find [an example].' Sources at Moncloa, in Madrid, said an investigation had been launched, but added that no official complaints had so far been made against Salazar. On Saturday, Sánchez apologised again for what he called his misplaced confidence in those accused of wrongdoing, adding: 'I was wrong to place my trust in people who didn't deserve it, but we won't fall short in a time of democratic regeneration.' The prime minister, who is under growing pressure to call a snap election, said he had no intention of stepping down. 'The captain doesn't shirk his responsibility when the sea gets rough; he stays put to ride out the storm and guide the ship to port,' he said. Salazar's resignation is the latest blow to the prime minister's authority and judgment. On Monday, Santos Cerdán – who served as the PSOE's organisational secretary and was Sánchez' right-hand man – was remanded in custody after a supreme court judge found 'firm evidence' of his possible involvement in taking kickbacks on public construction contracts. The investigation began after the Guardia Civil police anti-corruption unit handed material to the court that suggested Cerdán had discussed taking such kickbacks with the former PSOE transport minister José Luis Ábalos and one of the minister's aides, Koldo García. Ábalos and García are also under investigation and have denied wrongdoing. Cerdán, who stepped down from his party role and resigned his parliamentary seat shortly after the news broke, has vowed to clear his name. Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion Sánchez, who became prime minister in 2018 after using a motion of no confidence to turf the corruption-mired conservative People's party (PP) out of government, is already contending with graft investigations relating to his wife and his brother, who deny any wrongdoing. A former PSOE member was also recently implicated in an alleged smear campaign against the Guardia Civil unit investigating the corruption allegations. The PP said the latest allegations were further proof of the prime minister's poor judgment and his unfitness to lead the country. 'He has no credibility and his supposed fight against corruption and sexism is mere posturing,' PP sources said on Saturday. 'Sánchez is as good at being prime minister as he is at talent-spotting. Either there aren't many decent people in his party or he's not very good at choosing people who deserve to be in Spanish politics.' Calls for a fresh election are also beginning to bubble up within some sections of the socialist party. Emiliano García-Page, the PSOE president of the Castilla-La Mancha region, said the time had come to let parliament and the people have their say. According to elDiario, García-Page used Saturday's party meeting to ask Sánchez to consider holding a confidence vote in parliament. 'I don't know if we'll win it,' he said. 'But if we don't, then don't rule out the option of calling an election.'
