Spanish Police Seek Information at Socialist Party Headquarters

Spanish police entered the headquarters of the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE) in Madrid on Wednesday as part of a judicial request for information linked to a possible illegal payments scheme, Spanish media reported.

A Guardia Civil spokesperson told Reuters that officers had entered the premises, but gave no further details because the proceedings are secret.

The police action was not an unannounced raid. It was a judicial request for specific information that had to be notified in advance, rather than a broader search for evidence.

PSOE spokesperson Montse Mínguez told Catalunya Radio that the party was calm and fully cooperating with the courts, adding that any requested information would be handed over.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s party has been beset by a series of corruption scandals, including investigations into key allies and family members.

Last week, a court said former Socialist prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, a close ally of Sánchez, was being investigated on suspicion of leading an influence-peddling and money-laundering network. Zapatero denied any wrongdoing.

(reuters, max)