Latest news with #FranciscoSalazar
France 24
05-07-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Spain ruling party bars members from hiring sex workers
Sanchez, 53, is facing the biggest crisis of his seven years in power. That was heightened on Monday by the detention of a former top official in his Socialist party, Santos Cerdan, in an investigation involving allegations of corruption and hiring sex workers. In a bid to right the ship, the Socialist party announced that "soliciting, accepting or obtaining sexual acts in exchange for money" was now banned for party members, punishable by "the maximum sanction, expulsion from the party". "If we believe a woman's body is not for sale, our party cannot allow behaviour contrary to that," Sanchez said. "These are difficult times for everyone, without a doubt," he told party leaders at a meeting in Madrid, once again apologising for trusting those caught up in the growing scandal. But he also reiterated his refusal to step down. "The captain doesn't look the other way when seas get rough. He stays to steer the ship through the storm," he said. The party also announced a leadership shake-up, replacing Cerdan as its number three official with 44-year-old lawyer Rebeca Torro. The meeting started behind schedule after another close Sanchez ally, Francisco Salazar, who had been due to take a top leadership post, resigned. Online news site said Salazar had been accused of "inappropriate behaviour" by several women who had formerly reported to him in the party. Former transport minister Jose Luis Abalos has also been implicated in the investigation into kickbacks for public contracts. The conservative opposition People's Party (PP) held a meeting of its own, looking to capitalise on the Socialists' stumbles. "We're the only alternative to this state of decline," said PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, calling his party the answer to Spain's divisions and "political fatigue". © 2025 AFP
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Politics
- 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
05-07-2025
- Politics
- 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
05-07-2025
- Politics
- 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.'
Reuters
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Spanish PM Sanchez's shake-up of Socialist party eclipsed by new sexual harassment scandal
MADRID, July 5 (Reuters) - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's attempt to draw a line under a corruption scandal, opens new tab was thrown into disarray on Saturday as one of the officials he was set to name in a shake-up of his Socialist party resigned over sexual harassment allegations. Francisco Salazar offered his resignation as a deputy in the organization's secretariat and asked for the allegations to be investigated, the Socialist party (PSOE) said in a statement. The PSOE said it would begin an investigation immediately, adding that no allegations had been made through it usual channels. Online left-wing news website quoted a PSOE employee who accused Salazar of making obscene comments about her clothes and body, invitations to dine alone with him and offers to sleep at his home while working in a role junior to him at Moncloa Palace, the prime minister's official residence. Reuters was not immediately able to contact Salazar for comment. The scandal involving Salazar came just as Sanchez was scheduled to speak at the PSOE's headquarters in Madrid, where he was due to announce measures to assuage members of his party concerned about the damage to its reputation and its ability to survive. On Monday, a Supreme Court judge ordered that former PSOE official Santos Cerdan be held in pre-trial detention after he was accused of orchestrating kickbacks in exchange for awarding public works contracts. Cerdan denies the allegations, which are part of a wider corruption inquiry threatening to destabilise Sanchez's government. The minority coalition led by the Socialists relies on a loose alliance of nationalist and far-left parties to pass legislation. Until now, those allies have said they do not plan to support the conservative People's Party's call for a no-confidence vote that would precipitate an election. Senior party figures arriving at the PSOE headquarters were met with boos from protesters gathered across the road and were forced to raise their voices when declaring their support for Sanchez as the crowd chanted "out!, out!" While some said they were confident that the measures Sanchez was set to announce would defuse the scandal, others appeared more sceptical. Castile-La Mancha Governor Emiliano Garcia-Page described the scandal as one of the most serious in the half century since the restoration of democracy in Spain following the death of dictator Francisco Franco. "The leadership needs to understand that if it doesn't offer an exit, if it doesn't offer solutions, then it's part of the problem," he said.
