Spanish police search headquarters of PM Sánchez’s ruling Socialist party

BARCELONA, Spain — Spanish authorities conducted a search at the headquarters of the ruling Socialist Party on Wednesday as part of an investigation into potential financial misconduct involving a party member who allegedly attempted to influence legal and police matters that could harm the party.

The search at the office in central Madrid represents another setback for the party of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose party has been embroiled in a series of corruption scandals.

Speaking at a press conference in Rome, Sánchez stated, “We respect the justice system, we will cooperate with the courts, and the Socialist Party is committed to taking firm action against any misconduct that may arise.”

Sánchez, who has been the leader of Spain since 2018, dismissed the idea of calling for early elections, which are required to take place by next year at the latest.

The Civil Guard informed The Associated Press that the search was part of an investigation led by National Court judge Santiago Pedraz regarding the alleged misconduct of Socialist party member Leire Díez and others.

The case involving Díez began in 2025 when audio recordings surfaced in Spanish media suggesting her involvement in efforts to discredit a member of the Civil Guard’s anti-corruption unit. Subsequent reports linked her to alleged attempts to manipulate the work of state prosecutors. The judge’s investigation aims to determine if she received payments for these activities.

The Socialist party maintains that Díez acted independently. Díez, who has since left the party, denies any wrongdoing.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the court announced that judge Pedraz instructed the Civil Guard to “seize various documents and electronic records in an investigation into a network aimed at destabilizing judicial processes that were affecting the ruling party.”

In addition to Díez, the judge is now also looking into the alleged involvement of former Socialist heavyweight Santos Cerdán — who is already under scrutiny in a separate corruption case — along with a former member of the regional government of Andalusia, a police officer, a business owner, and two lawyers. They are being investigated for suspicions of bribery, perjury, document forgery, influence peddling, and corruption.

These searches contribute to the growing list of legal challenges facing Spain’s Socialist party.

Last week, a separate court announced an investigation into former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in connection with a government bailout of an airline. He denies any wrongdoing.

Last year, both Cerdán and José Luis Ábalos, transport minister under Sánchez, were under investigation for their alleged involvement in a kickback scheme that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, allegations they have denied.

Sánchez’s wife and brother are also facing allegations of influence peddling, which they both deny.

While Sánchez has labeled the cases against his family as a “smear campaign,” the corruption charges against his former associates led him to apologize to the nation.

His minority government relies on the support of a smaller coalition partner, which has thus far stood by him despite the legal actions.

Sánchez, known for his progressive positions on the international stage, which have drawn criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, has not been directly implicated in any of the scandals.

The search of his party’s offices occurred while Sánchez was at the Vatican for a meeting with Pope Leo XIV, who is scheduled to visit Spain from June 6-12. The prime minister postponed his press conference to be briefed on the searches before addressing the media.

Despite acknowledging the seriousness of the events in Madrid, Sánchez asserted on Wednesday that the corruption cases “do not tarnish the work of this government, which, in collaboration with progressive parties, is dedicated to social and economic transformation.”