Police officers entered the Madrid headquarters of Spain’s ruling Socialist Party (PSOE) on Wednesday to search for information about a possible illegal payment scheme, the Civil Guard said.
It comes as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s party is beset by a series of corruption allegations, including allegations of impropriety made by former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
The news has put pressure on the Sanchez government and sparked protests in Madrid over the weekend. These allegations have affected many members close to the Prime Minister, including his wife and brother.
What did the police say about the operation?
The Civil Guard told The Associated Press that police were looking for the material as part of a national court investigation into alleged corruption by a former party member involved in a government company.
Investigators told various media outlets that they could provide only a limited amount of information related to the confidential and ongoing investigation.
A PSOE spokesman told Catalunya Radio that the party remains calm and is cooperating fully with the authorities.
The head of the main opposition Conservative People’s Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijoo, said Sánchez’s government “stenches” of corruption and reiterated his call for early elections. Protesters in Madrid made similar demands over the weekend.
What did Sanchez say about the recent allegations against Zapatero?
The search came less than a month after news broke of an investigation into former Prime Minister Zapatero, a close ally of Sanchez. It concerns possible wrongdoing and bribery when arranging the 2021 bailout for Plus Ultra Airlines amid air travel disruption due to the COVID pandemic.
Sanchez was in the Vatican on Wednesday for a meeting with Pope Leo XIV. He said he saw no reason to withdraw his support for Zapatero following the publication of new details about the information last week.
“I think there is no sufficient reason, no reason, to change that position,” he told reporters at a Rome press conference.
The case revolves around whether Zapatero used his influence to secure a bailout of €53 million (about $61.5 million) for the airline, and whether his family benefited from it. The 65-year-old, prime minister from 2004 to 2011 and mainstay of the PSOE, denies any wrongdoing or receiving payments from Plus Ultra.
The investigating judge alleges that Zapatero may have been part of a network of shell companies and behind-the-scenes lobbyists aimed at pushing favorable decisions through socialist government channels.
Sánchez, Prime Minister since 2018, has in the past described the investigations into his wife and brother as part of a “slander campaign” waged against him.
But amid protests in 2025, he apologized to the public in connection with the investigation into allegations leveled against one of his former ministers and a senior party member over their role in a kickback ring amid the COVID pandemic.
Edited by: Zack Crellin
Don’t let algorithms hide news. If you rely on our team for reliable reporting, please take a moment Select us as your favorite source on Google by clicking here and pressing the “Star” or “Favorite” buttonThat’s why you’ll always see our verified news first.