Sánchez Rejects Early Elections, Vows to Govern Until 2027

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected calls for early elections, declaring that his government will continue in office until 2027. Speaking at a Socialist party event on Sunday, he defended his cabinet's record and said voters had not yet fully felt the benefits of his social and economic policies.

Sánchez is facing mounting pressure over several corruption investigations involving his Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), its allies and people close to him. Former Socialist prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is also under investigation on suspicion of influencing official decisions and money laundering. Police recently searched the PSOE headquarters in Madrid.

Criticism has also come from within the party's own ranks. Emiliano García-Page, president of the Castile-La Mancha region, described the situation as the most serious since the return of democracy and called for a vote of confidence or early elections.

Some of the government's coalition partners have also raised the possibility of new elections, including the Basque PNV and the Catalan Junts. Both have nonetheless refused to back the motion of no confidence put forward by the Vox party.

Pressure on Sánchez is set to increase in June, when Zapatero is due to testify and the Supreme Court is expected to rule on the corruption case against former minister José Luis Ábalos.

(euractiv, bak)