PSOE headquarters raided in graft probe as Sanchez defends Zapatero

Spanish Civil Guard officers raided the Madrid headquarters of the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE) on Wednesday, searching for material linked to a National Court investigation into alleged illegal payments. The operation targets a potential corruption scheme involving a former party member connected to a state-run company, with investigators citing the secret and ongoing nature of the probe as reasons for limited public disclosure.

The search coincides with intensifying graft allegations surrounding former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, a close ally of current Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The inquiry focuses on a 2021 bailout of €53 million ($61.5 million) for the airline Plus Ultra, which was disrupted by the pandemic. Investigators allege Zapatero may have used his influence to secure the funding and that his family could have benefited, potentially through a network of shell companies and lobbyists.

Zapatero, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2011, denies any wrongdoing or receipt of payments. He has characterised the allegations as part of a broader effort to push favourable decisions through the Socialist government’s channels. The case has added to the political pressure on Sanchez’s administration, which has already faced scrutiny over investigations into his wife and brother, which the prime minister previously dismissed as a smear campaign.

Sanchez, who was attending a meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican during the raid, stated there was no sufficient reason to alter his position of support for Zapatero. He told reporters in Rome that despite new details published last week regarding the investigation, he saw no justification for changing his stance. The prime minister has previously asked for public forgiveness in 2025 regarding separate investigations into a former minister and a senior party member over alleged kickbacks during the pandemic.

Opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo of the People’s Party condemned the government, stating it “stinks” of corruption and renewing calls for early elections. His remarks echoed protests held in Madrid over the weekend. A PSOE spokeswoman told Catalunya Radio that the party remained calm and was cooperating fully with authorities as the investigation proceeds.