Spanish Supreme Court warns corruption threatens democracy

Spain’s Supreme Court, in a ruling on the “mask scandal,” sentenced former minister José Luis Ábalos to 24 years and 3 months in prison, his former adviser Koldo García to 19 years and 8 months, and former commissioner Víctor de Aldama to a suspended 4½‑year term. In its judgment the Court warned that corruption erodes citizens’ trust, undermines institutional legitimacy and destabilises the democratic system. The judges cited international standards, including the UN Convention against Corruption, to stress that corruption is not merely a private crime but a direct threat to the architecture of the democratic state, risking loss of legitimacy and political instability.

The Court’s statement highlighted how corrupt practices distort the exercise of public power, weaken checks and balances, and can lead to broader economic and social damage, urging stronger transparency and control mechanisms to restore confidence in democratic institutions.