Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez dismisses early‑election calls

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told a small group of parliamentarians urging an early election that “Esa corriente es minoritaria y les digo: abandonad toda esperanza” (“that current is minority and I tell you: abandon all hope”). He said the request came from a minority and rejected the idea of advancing the election timetable.

Sánchez made the remark after the Congress rejected a motion calling for his resignation, a vote in which the governing party supported his continuation. He later added, “limpiaremos lo que haya que limpiar y seguiremos gobernando” (“we will clean up whatever needs cleaning and keep governing”). Commentator Fernando de Haro noted that the phrase is taken from Dante’s Inferno, inscribed on the gates of Hell.

The episode highlights ongoing political tension in Spain, with Sánchez’s party defending its leadership despite criticism from opposition deputies.