Pedro Sánchez faces mounting corruption probes as Spain’s political crisis deepens

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is under a wave of corruption investigations linking him, his family and close associates to alleged irregularities, including Covid‑mask contracts, suspected funds from China and Venezuela, airline bailout deals and accusations of prostitution. The scandal has intensified political fragmentation, with Sánchez’s minority government increasingly dependent on Catalan and Basque nationalist parties. The unrest follows the rise of the anti‑austerity movement 15M and the emergence of the left‑wing Podemos party, which together have challenged Spain’s post‑1978 democratic consensus and prompted concerns over the stability of the constitutional order.

Analysts note that the investigations and coalition pressures could destabilise the government and test Spain’s institutional resilience ahead of upcoming elections.