
Pedro Sánchez ‘has no power' and should quit, says Spanish ex-PM
The Spanish prime minister should step down amid growing allegations of corruption against his government, one of his predecessors said on Thursday.
Felipe González, who played a key role in Spain's transition to democracy in the 1980s, said that Pedro Sánchez 'no longer has a political life'.
González, 83, who was prime minister from 1982 to 1996, added: 'Sánchez should call elections and make way for another Socialist candidate. He has a level of authority unmatched by any prime minister … he has no power at all.'
Felipe González played a key role in Spain's transition to democracy in the 1980s
PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP
He singled out Sánchez's concessions to his ally Bildu — a Basque separatist party that was formerly the political wing of the defunct terrorist group ETA — and an amnesty given to Catalan separatists who took part in an illegal, failed independence attempt in 2017. To retain power after inconclusive elections in 2023, Sánchez agreed to the amnesty in return for the seven votes of the right-wing Junts party of the Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, a fugitive from Spanish justice.

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Times
13 hours ago
- Times
Pedro Sánchez ‘has no power' and should quit, says Spanish ex-PM
The Spanish prime minister should step down amid growing allegations of corruption against his government, one of his predecessors said on Thursday. Felipe González, who played a key role in Spain's transition to democracy in the 1980s, said that Pedro Sánchez 'no longer has a political life'. González, 83, who was prime minister from 1982 to 1996, added: 'Sánchez should call elections and make way for another Socialist candidate. He has a level of authority unmatched by any prime minister … he has no power at all.' Felipe González played a key role in Spain's transition to democracy in the 1980s PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP He singled out Sánchez's concessions to his ally Bildu — a Basque separatist party that was formerly the political wing of the defunct terrorist group ETA — and an amnesty given to Catalan separatists who took part in an illegal, failed independence attempt in 2017. To retain power after inconclusive elections in 2023, Sánchez agreed to the amnesty in return for the seven votes of the right-wing Junts party of the Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, a fugitive from Spanish justice.


BreakingNews.ie
17 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Spain's leader sticks by decision to break with Nato on defence spending
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Reuters
18 hours ago
- Reuters
Acciona finds no irregularities in contracts mentioned in Spanish graft probe
MADRID, June 26 (Reuters) - Spanish construction company Acciona ( opens new tab said on Thursday it had found no evidence of irregularities in public works contracts at the centre of a corruption investigation that has rocked the ruling Socialist party. The case relates to a former employee who left Acciona in 2021 and who contracted Servinabar 2000 - a company being investigated by police for alleged corruption - as a partner in a joint venture, Acciona CEO Jose Manuel Entrecanales told the company's annual shareholder meeting. Acciona has more than 30,000 such partners, he said. Servinabar has said it has not committed any crimes, according to local media. Reuters has not been able to reach Servinabar for comment. The case has roiled Spanish politics, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promising an overhaul of his party after media published a police report that included recordings showing former members of his inner circle appearing to discuss kickbacks on public infrastructure projects. The police have not confirmed the contents of the leaked report, of which Reuters has seen a copy. Acciona said its legal team had found no evidence of bribery payments or of any irregularities in the awarding of its contracts mentioned in the report. No complaints have been lodged by other companies regarding the tenders in various Spanish regions, the company added. Last week, Santos Cerdan stepped down as number three in the Socialist Party after the leaked recordings appeared to show him discussing bribes with former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos. Both have insisted they are innocent and suggested the recordings could have been manipulated. At least three shareholders raised concerns about the investigation at Acciona's annual meeting, but Entrecanales said the probe was unlikely to impact the company's Spanish construction business, which accounts for just 3% of revenues at its global construction business. Acciona has begun terminating contracts with Servinabar and has dismissed the head of its construction department in Spain for failing to adequately supervise the former employee, it said.