Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez apologized to the Spanish people after escalating corruption scandals lowered a senior Socialist colleague.
Sánchez, who has led Spain since 2018, said there was no such thing as “zero corruption”, adding that he said he was wrong to his party secretary and close political colleague Santos Cerdán.
Seldan was asked to testify in court after the judge suggested that he might act with former party officials in improperly awarding public contracts in exchange for kickbacks.
He said on Thursday, he will resign on June 25, defending the Supreme Court and insisting that he “never committed a crime and never committed my accomplice.”
Amid growing speculation about his future, the Prime Minister convened a press conference to distance himself from the spreading scandal. He said he knew nothing about the corruption incident and instead promised to reorganize his socialist PSOE party leadership.
He rejected calls for early elections, insisting that the next national vote be held until 2027, and his administration will continue its “political project.”
Despite seven years in power, Sanchez led a shaky coalition that he won a shaky coalition but failed to form a government after the Conservative Popular Party won the 2023 election.
Although the opposition asked for an answer on Thursday, Yolanda Díaz, deputy prime minister of left-wing alliance partner Sumar, said she wanted an explanation, too.
Sánchez made his first appearance to answer media questions since the attack on Spain in April.
Speaking at the headquarters of the Socialist Party (PSOE) in Madrid, the Prime Minister said he had to convince Santos Cerdán of integrity and wanted to apologize to Spanish citizens.
“There is no zero corruption or something,” he said. “We shouldn’t trust him.”
Sanchez said, like many others, he had his own fault and asked the Spanish people to forgive.
He continued to accuse the conservatives of besieging the government on many issues.
Sánchez faces repeated political crises and threatens to stand down in April 2024.
It took him five days to decide on his future in April 2024, when the court decided to open up preliminary lawsuits against his wife over allegations of his business deal.
He then called a TV press conference, and announced at a highly dramatic moment that he decided to continue working.
