Feijóo demands Sánchez's resignation over sentence against Ábalos: "It is a condemnation of the government"

Madrid"What else needs to happen for Pedro Sánchez to resign immediately?" Alberto Núñez Feijóo exceptionally appeared at a press conference at the Popular Party headquarters to comment on what he called a "serious" sentence by the Supreme Court against José Luis Ábalos.the one he has described as a "serious" sentence by the Supreme Court against José Luis Ábalos. The leader of the PP said that this is "a condemnation of Sánchez's government" because the former Minister of Transport played a predominant role in the first executives of the socialist leader, in the PSOE as organization secretary and in his rise to power, and said that it is "indecent" for Sánchez to "continue one more minute" in Moncloa. However, Feijóo maintains his decision not to present a motion of no confidence, although he has increased pressure on the allies of the Spanish president's investiture to reconsider their position. "What else do they need to withdraw their support and force him to call elections?" he asked. Nevertheless, according to the Popular Party president, a failed motion of no confidence would be "good for Sánchez" and, therefore, it would be an "error" on his part to register it when no party in the plurinational majority is currently willing to vote in favor.

Génova's diagnosis is not shared by Vox, which argues that the PP should indeed take that step. "The opposition's prerogative is to present a motion of no confidence. What else needs to happen?" said the spokesperson for the far-right, José Antonio Fúster, at a press conference. However, Santiago Abascal's party has also focused its message on demanding Sánchez's resignation and not on pressuring the Popular Party. Fúster called the PSOE a "cesspool of corruption" and the Spanish government a "criminal mafia" and warned that "the worst is yet to come" because, he said, "Sánchez is willing to do anything to stay in power." "The closer Sánchez's end is, the more dangerous they become," he said. The PP also sees the Spanish president as willing to resist no matter what and recalls that Ábalos's case is just one of dozens of legal cases that dog him. "What is he waiting for? For there to be three, five, or ten sentences? For one to be dismissed so he can use it as an excuse?" insisted Feijóo, who, despite not planning any move with real effects in Congress, predicted that "less time is left" for change.

In Moncloa, they maintain the same script followed until now, which is to distance themselves from what they circumscribe as individual and non-systemic behavior. Government sources emphasize the commitment of Sánchez's executive to "transparency, merit, and integrity as structuring principles of public service" and condemn "unreservedly" that individuals linked to the Spanish government have "clearly violated these principles." Regarding Sumar, they have demanded that Sánchez "clean up and put order" in the PSOE so that it "stops being a burden" for the progressive government. For the moment, the minority partner in the coalition maintains that the legislature must be exhausted. The socialist organization secretary, Rebeca Torró, said on X that the PSOE "acted from the first minute" and accused Feijóo of "hypocrisy." None of the investiture allies have opened the door for now to let Sánchez fall after the sentence, and positions remain unchanged despite the judicial shake-up, although the PSOE has received some warnings.

In this regard, the ERC spokesperson in Congress, Gabriel Rufián, reiterated on X that the PSOE must give content to the remainder of the legislature. "Governing is legislating, not resisting," he warned. For their part, the national spokesperson for the Republicans, Elisenda Alamany, urged the socialists to "clean house" and said that "this is not resolved by limiting oneself to blaming the referee." The Junts deputy in Congress, Josep Maria Cruset, criticized on X the "irresponsibility" of the socialists, whom he accused of being responsible for the rise of the far-right. The PSC has limited itself to expressing "respect" for the judicial decisions.