Spain's government under judicial pressure ahead of NATO summit

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez travelled to the NATO summit in Ankara amid controversy over the passport of minister Begoña Gómez and growing criticism that the government is targeting the judiciary. Commentator Carlos Herrera described the executive’s actions as a “law‑fare” offensive, accusing it of trying to shield corruption investigations that involve 126 PSOE figures, including the “Cloacas” case.

The government is also pushing reforms to make popular prosecution harder, which Herrera says aims to keep corruption from emerging. At the summit, Sánchez faced pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump over Spain’s defence‑spending commitments, while Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni also attracted criticism. Herrera noted that, despite public statements, defence spending has been increased "by the back door".

These developments highlight the tension between Spain’s domestic political disputes, its obligations at the NATO summit, and external pressures from the United States.