The China Mail - Spanish PM vows to fight on as corruption scandal grows

USD -
AED 3.67315
AFN 65.000026
ALL 83.065029
AMD 376.98046
ANG 1.790083
AOA 917.000254
ARS 1386.161903
AUD 1.4454
AWG 1.80025
AZN 1.739242
BAM 1.695072
BBD 2.009612
BDT 122.428639
BGN 1.709309
BHD 0.380499
BIF 2970
BMD 1
BND 1.2851
BOB 6.894519
BRL 5.153498
BSD 0.997742
BTN 92.939509
BWP 13.688562
BYN 2.956504
BYR 19600
BZD 2.006665
CAD 1.391961
CDF 2304.999741
CHF 0.798255
CLF 0.02321
CLP 916.470509
CNY 6.88265
CNH 6.876255
COP 3672.02
CRC 464.279833
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 95.999708
CZK 21.2243
DJF 177.720441
DKK 6.47437
DOP 60.850109
DZD 132.915026
EGP 54.336197
ERN 15
ETB 156.149875
EUR 0.86638
FJD 2.259739
FKP 0.75717
GBP 0.755755
GEL 2.68498
GGP 0.75717
GHS 11.005015
GIP 0.75717
GMD 74.000168
GNF 8779.999763
GTQ 7.632939
GYD 208.828972
HKD 7.836875
HNL 26.630278
HRK 6.5236
HTG 130.952897
HUF 330.395503
IDR 17021
ILS 3.14681
IMP 0.75717
INR 92.89985
IQD 1310
IRR 1319175.000218
ISK 125.120173
JEP 0.75717
JMD 157.303566
JOD 0.70898
JPY 159.7585
KES 130.096888
KGS 87.449983
KHR 4013.000059
KMF 427.000238
KPW 899.999766
KRW 1507.620087
KWD 0.30895
KYD 0.831502
KZT 472.805432
LAK 21950.000256
LBP 89549.999742
LKR 314.804623
LRD 183.8008
LSL 16.950073
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 6.390357
MAD 9.362495
MDL 17.55613
MGA 4164.999906
MKD 53.452029
MMK 2099.768269
MNT 3572.241801
MOP 8.055104
MRU 40.11971
MUR 46.940083
MVR 15.45977
MWK 1736.508345
MXN 17.788201
MYR 4.027497
MZN 63.950347
NAD 16.950039
NGN 1381.059851
NIO 36.715026
NOK 9.72425
NPR 148.701282
NZD 1.74946
OMR 0.384783
PAB 0.997734
PEN 3.452498
PGK 4.30902
PHP 60.166981
PKR 279.098055
PLN 3.695295
PYG 6454.29687
QAR 3.644984
RON 4.417699
RSD 101.818592
RUB 80.186892
RWF 1460
SAR 3.75425
SBD 8.038772
SCR 14.855005
SDG 601.000197
SEK 9.4223
SGD 1.28454
SHP 0.750259
SLE 24.650168
SLL 20969.510825
SOS 571.49594
SRD 37.35098
STD 20697.981008
STN 21.625
SVC 8.730169
SYP 110.564494
SZL 16.949965
THB 32.519399
TJS 9.563492
TMT 3.51
TND 2.922499
TOP 2.40776
TRY 44.585398
TTD 6.768937
TWD 31.943965
TZS 2600.000111
UAH 43.698134
UGX 3743.234401
UYU 40.405091
UZS 12154.99976
VES 473.3905
VND 26336.5
VUV 119.305544
WST 2.766278
XAF 568.506489
XAG 0.013798
XAU 0.000214
XCD 2.70255
XCG 1.798209
XDR 0.7075
XOF 567.500468
XPF 103.849903
YER 238.64997
ZAR 16.835225
ZMK 9001.196978
ZMW 19.281421
ZWL 321.999592
  • RBGPF

    -13.5000

    69

    -19.57%

  • RYCEF

    0.3800

    15.5

    +2.45%

  • BCC

    0.4200

    73.62

    +0.57%

  • CMSD

    0.1400

    22.4

    +0.63%

  • NGG

    -0.8250

    87.165

    -0.95%

  • CMSC

    0.1400

    22.18

    +0.63%

  • RIO

    -0.7650

    93.685

    -0.82%

  • BCE

    -0.0800

    24.37

    -0.33%

  • GSK

    -0.4300

    56.26

    -0.76%

  • JRI

    0.0650

    12.675

    +0.51%

  • RELX

    0.0150

    33.605

    +0.04%

  • VOD

    -0.1150

    15.095

    -0.76%

  • AZN

    -0.0250

    203.465

    -0.01%

  • BTI

    0.2750

    58.555

    +0.47%

  • BP

    0.2850

    47.405

    +0.6%

Spanish PM vows to fight on as corruption scandal grows
Spanish PM vows to fight on as corruption scandal grows / Photo: © AFP

Spanish PM vows to fight on as corruption scandal grows

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is fighting to keep his job, as corruption allegations prompted the resignation of a close aide and sparked tension in his minority coalition.

Text size:

The scandal erupted on Thursday after the Supreme Court said Santos Cerdan, the third-highest ranking figure in Sanchez's Socialist party, was suspected of involvement in awarding of public works contracts in return for kickbacks.

The case is linked to a broader investigation that already ensnared former transport minister Jose Luis Abalos, once a close ally of the prime minister.

Sanchez is not accused of any wrongdoing but the case adds to mounting legal scrutiny of his inner circle.

His wife, brother and Spain's top prosecutor, who was appointed by Sanchez's government, are all under judicial investigation in separate cases.

The scandals-- none of which have gone beyond the preliminary investigation phase -- have fuelled demands from his critics for him to resign and call early elections.

Centre-right newspaper El Mundo wrote in an editorial on Friday it was "untenable" for him to continue.

The situation was "agonising" for the Socialist leader, who was been in office since 2018, wrote conservative newspaper ABC.

Speaking at his party's headquarters on Thursday, a sombre-looking Sanchez apologised for the scandal but vowed to serve out his term until 2027.

But his ruling coalition junior partner, far-left party Sumar, called for a change in the government's direction in the wake of the scandal.

"It's not enough to say sorry," Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz, the founder of Sumar, told reporters.

At the same time Catalan separatist party Junts has requested an urgent meeting with Socialist leaders to assess the viability of the legislature.

Sanchez's fragile minority government relies on Junts to pass laws in parliament.

Paloma Roman, a political science professor at Madrid's Complutense University, said Sanchez may be forced to call a confidence vote to reassert control.

"What Sanchez needs to do now is to calm his allies' criticism by providing them with more information and addressing the issue of confidence," she told AFP.

- 'Earn trust' -

The government has so far refused to call a confidence vote.

"The prime minister has to keep earning the public's trust every day, as he's doing," Oscar Lopez, a cabinet minister who is close to Sanchez, said Friday during an interview with news radio Cadena Ser.

"He has a duty to carry out his campaign promises and not let down the millions who voted for him," he added when asked whether a vote of confidence was being considered.

The main opposition Popular Party (PP) has called repeatedly for Sanchez to step down.

But PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo, has ruled out the idea of proposing a motion in parliament to try to topple Sanchez, warning it could backfire and bolster the Socialist leader if it fails.

He instead urged Sanchez's allies to reconsider their support, saying they would be complicit in "the biggest wave of corruption" if they refused.

Analysts say Sanchez's coalition partners are reluctant to withdraw their support, fearing that doing so could pave the way for a PP government supported by far-right party Vox -- a prospect many regional and leftist parties view as unacceptable.

"They won't let Sanchez fall -- not out of love, but because they fear a PP-Vox government even more," said Roman.

Sanchez came to power in June 2018 after ousting his predecessor, Mariano Rajoy, in a no-confidence vote over corruption scandals involving the PP.

Most recent opinion polls show the PP holding a slim lead over the Socialists.

C.Smith--ThChM