Fresh scandal hits Spain’s ruling party as official quits over sexual harassment claims | Spain

Pedro Sánchez’s efforts to reset the ruling Socialist Party of Spain after damaging allegations of corruption that threatened to overthrow the coalition government, experienced a serious setback after a party official resigned for sexual harassment charges.

The Prime Minister hoped this weekend of the Spanish Socialist Labor Party Federal Committee Meeting (PSOE) that the party would help the scandals who underwent the words of the fight against ethics and corruption seven years ago to act in the last weeks.

However, such hopes were flattened late on Friday night after the online newspaper Eldiario published allegations PSOE workers who say that they were subjected to sexual harassment by Francisco Salazar, who controls institutional coordination at the Prime Minister’s office and official residence Monclloa Palace.

The accusations encouraged Salazar to announce that he resigned from this mission and his new role by assisting PSOE’s organizational secretary on Saturday.

He told Eldiario that he could not remember inappropriate interactions. Im I pulled my brains on it and it looks unimaginable to me, ”he said. “Is it something that is not suitable for a colleague, I wonder if I have deprived and the truth is that I cannot find it [an example]. “

The sources in Monclosa in Madrid added that an investigation has been initiated, but that no official complaints have been filed against Salazar so far.

On Saturday, Sánchez apologized again for saying the wrong trust in those accused of doing wrong and added: ım I was wrong to trust people who do not deserve it, but we will not be inadequate during the democratic renewal period. ”

The Prime Minister, who was under pressure to call Snap elections, said that he had no intention of resigning.

“The captain does not surprise his responsibility when the sea hardens, he continues to get out of the storm and direct the ship to the harbor,” he said.

The resignation of Salazar, the last blow to the authority and judgment of the Prime Minister.

On Monday, Santos Cerdán, Sánchez’s right -hand man, who served as PSOE’s organizational secretary, was detained after a Supreme Court judge found the “precise evidence” of possible participation in public construction contracts.

The investigation began after the Guardia Civil Police Anti -Corruption Unit gave materials to the court, and claimed that Cerdán was discussing such recoil with Koldo García, one of the former Psoe Transport Minister José Luis ábalos and the minister aid. Ábalos and García also under investigation and rejected injustice. Cerdán, who resigned from his party role and resigned from the parliamentary seat shortly after the news was broken, promised to clean his name.

Sánchez, who was prime minister in 2018, after using a movement that does not trust the Conservative People’s Party (PP) Turf in 2018 Apart from the government, he is already struggling with graft investigations about his wife and brother, who deny any injustice. A former PSoe member has recently played a role in a alleged Smear campaign that has recently explored allegations of corruption against the Guardia Civil Unit.

PP said the latest claims were proof of the Prime Minister’s bad decision and the non -conformity of leadership to the country.

PP resources said on Saturday, “There is no reliability and the default struggle against corruption and sexism is just stance.” He said. “Sánchez is as good as being a prime minister. Good up to talents. Either there is not a very good person in his party or he is not very good in choosing people who deserve to be in Spanish politics.”

A new calls for election are also blisked in some parts of the socialist party. Emiliano García-Page, President of PSOE of Castila-La Mancha region, said it was time to allow the words of the parliament and the people.

According to Eldiario, García-Page asked Sánchez to think of a vote of confidence in the parliament. “I don’t know we will win” he said. “But if we don’t, don’t ignore the option to call an election.”