Sánchez discredited over corruption in Andalusia?
High-ranking representatives of Spain's Socialist Party PSOE, including two former regional presidents José Antonio Griñán and Manuel Chaves, have been found guilty of embezzlement and misuse of public funds. They allegedly watched for years as funds intended to help unemployed people and struggling companies were diverted to individuals and businesses with close ties to their party. Commentators draw comparisons with another major corruption case in Spain.
The hypocrisy of left-wing politicians
ABC criticises the left for having double standards when it comes to corruption:
“If Unidas Podemos has any sense of ethical responsibility at all, it should not support Sánchez becoming head of government. And Sánchez would have to rethink his own strategy because he presented himself to society as a supposed champion of morals and renewal. But that would be asking too much [of Unidas Podemos boss Pablo Iglesias]. A vice presidency and several ministerial posts for the party are well worth a little hypocrisy. In May 2018 Iglesias also pointed out to Rajoy that there could be no 'criminals' in the government in connection with the Gürtel corruption case. If Rajoy was a 'criminal' back then, then Sánchez is one today.”
This case is different
There are factual differences between the big corruption scandals among the Socialists (Ere case) and the PP (Gürtel case), writes chief editor Ignacio Escolar in eldiario.es:
“Neither Chaves nor Griñán lined their pockets through the corrupt network. Nor was the money used to finance the Socialists. ... These are important differences that don't excuse what occurred in Andalusia but should be taken into account now that the PP is trying to use the Ere case to repair the damage the Gürtel ruling caused to its image. ... Or when it tries to heap blame on Pedro Sánchez, who at the time was a simple city councillor in Madrid and who later on, when he was secretary-general of the Socialists, refused to pay for the lawyers of Chaves and Griñán and forced them to resign from all their public offices.”