Description: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced the effective reconstruction of his party’s leadership structure, following last week calls for snap elections and accountability. Party member Santos Cerdan was heavily implicated in a corruption scandal and called before Spain’s Supreme Court to testify which prompted opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo to lead massive demonstrations in the capital Madrid and call for snap elections. Sanchez named a replacement team for Cerdan and would initiate intercoalition talks in order to repair the damage caused by the corruption scandal. The Prime Minister is set to meet Labor Minister Yolanda Diaz, from the junior coalition partner Sumar who has repeatedly called that political accountability and justice must be upheld in order for the ruling government to continue governing. Sanchez is also expected to spearhead the PSOE’s party congress scheduled to take place on 05 Jul.
Impact: Prime Minister Sanchez has managed to efficiently navigate the initiated low – scale political crisis caused by the corruption scandal by expediently restructuring its cabinet. Sanchez doused threats for snap elections calls from the opposition, but pressure within its own governing coalition still remains persistent. The Prime Minister’s attempts to paint the corruption scandal involving Cerdan as an isolated event could falter if he fails to consolidate political capital within its own governing coalition. Protests from the opposition have also been scaled down which stipulates that Sanchez still holds a firm grip on the prime ministry. The internal party congress and ongoing intercoalition negotiations would determine the immediate outcome or prompt early elections expanding the dimensions of the political crisis.