Description: Weeks after the ruling Socialist Party, PSOE, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was under scrutiny over a corruption scandal, the newest reconstruction brought about new allegations of sexual harassment. Francisco Salazar, a close associate to the Prime Minister was accused of sexually abusing a certain junior assistant, couple of days after Prime Minister Sanchez announced the planned restructuring of the ruling government’s cabinet. Sanchez was attempting to avoid potential snap elections through what he called a reformative transformation of the ruling government, which was heavily criticized since Santos Cerdan, one of PSOE’s higher echelon members, was investigated over corruption charges for receiving kickbacks in return for favorable public procurement conditions awarded to certain individuals and companies.
Impact: The ruling PSOE – led government continues to come under pressure from the public and its political opposition which is demanding snap elections. Prime Minister Sanchez has so far effectively managed to steer clear of the scandals his party has been engulfed in, however, the growing pressure from other political elements and potential escalation of the public’s response, could prompt Sanchez to call for snap elections. PSOE’s ratings of approval and support have rapidly plummeted since the corruption scandal, while the latest sexual harassment claims would compromise the party’s public standings even further. Spain could experience enlarged scale of political crisis if the incumbent government continues to defy the demands derived from public disapproval and oppositional political pressure.