In the midst of political turmoil in Madrid due to the recent conviction of the brother of the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, or the case related to his wife, Begoña Gómez, the European Commission draws attention to Spain for the “limited progress” in fighting high-level corruption cases and calls for a national lobbyist register. It does so in its annual report on the Rule of Law, where, although it recognizes certain advances in processing major cases, it highlights “limited progress” in strengthening the rules on conflicts of interest and executive officeholders, and warns that measures against corruption or the regulation of “lobbies” have yet to yield the expected results in Spain.
The report, with sections for all countries, does not cite specific cases nor refer to the latest scandals that have shaken Spanish politics, as it concerns everything that happened in 2025. Therefore, investigations related to former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in the Plus Ultra Case, for example, would be outside this evaluation.
The report highlights “limited progress” in strengthening the rules on conflicts of interest
It comes a year after Pedro Sánchez’s government presented a plan with fifteen measures to tackle corruption, introduced amid the upheaval caused by the practices of former minister José Luis Ábalos and former PSOE organization secretary Santos Cerdán. However, Brussels believes that, despite the presentation of the Public Integrity Bill or the national anti-corruption plan, “the practical application of existing rules has not improved.” For this reason, it formally recommends that Spain advance the legislative process to strengthen the rules on conflicts of interest and asset declarations.
Regarding corruption, there is recognition of Spain’s effort to speed up trials. It mentions an “increase in staff” and legislative reform, but considers that “challenges remain” because the laws needed to improve this efficiency are still stalled in parliamentary procedure. Therefore, Brussels recommends that Spain “push forward the legislative process to revise the Criminal Procedure Code in order to strengthen the framework for investigations and prosecutions of high-level corruption cases, aiming to reduce delays.”
Furthermore, it points out that the Transparency and Integrity of Interest Groups Activities Bill has yet to be adopted by the Spanish Parliament, keeping Spain among the group of European countries (such as Poland, Belgium, or Denmark) that still have pending the formalization of a strict legal framework to control external influences on public decision-making. In response, community experts recommend that Spain “continue with the ongoing procedure for the approval of legislation on lobbies, including the creation of a mandatory public register of lobbyists,” so that it is possible to know with maximum transparency who tries to influence legislation. The document also points out persistent deficiencies in the transparency of political party financing, noting gaps in the traceability of donations and audit controls.
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According to community experts, the perception among citizens, experts, and businesspeople is that the level of corruption in the public sector remains relatively high. The report cites the special Eurobarometer dedicated to corruption in 2026, which shows that 92% of respondents consider corruption widespread in the country, while the European average stands at 71%. Again, as in the two previous editions, Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission echoes the “concern” among judges and legal professionals about “public statements by politicians,” including the Government, criticizing judicial decisions. These “statements against individual judges contribute to the erosion of public trust in the judiciary.”
The document includes information provided by the Supreme Court regarding accusations of “lawfare” and personal criticisms directed at its magistrates, “especially following recent high-profile rulings.” Community services understand that criticism is part of “normal democratic debate,” but maintain that “the executive and legislative powers must avoid criticisms that undermine the independence or public confidence in the judiciary.”
Regarding corruption, there is recognition of Spain’s effort to speed up trials. It mentions an “increase in staff” and legislative reform, but considers that “challenges remain” because the laws needed to improve this efficiency are still stalled in parliamentary procedure. Therefore, Brussels recommends that Spain “push forward the legislative process to revise the Criminal Procedure Code in order to strengthen the framework for investigations and prosecutions of high-level corruption cases, aiming to reduce delays.”
The report also recognizes the “significant progress” made to strengthen the status of the Attorney General. Additionally, it supports, as did the Venice Commission (an independent advisory body of the Council of Europe), that the election of the twelve members of the General Council of the Judiciary be made by judges to avoid “external politicization in Parliament” and regrets that there is still no definitive consensus.
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