Political crisis threatens Spanish government stability
The fragile coalition supporting Spain’s government faces unprecedented strain as corruption allegations continue to emerge. Cristina Valido, deputy of Coalición Canaria in the Congress of Deputies, delivered a stark message to President Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday: her party “can no longer guarantee its support” to the Executive, citing broken trust with both the party and citizens.
Trust eroded by corruption scandals
Speaking at a press conference in Parliament following her meeting with the president during ongoing consultations at the Moncloa Palace, Valido expressed deep “concern about the democratic damage” resulting from published information about corruption schemes affecting former senior socialist officials and their government. She emphasized that “people are shocked by everything they are hearing and reading,” which she believes is generating a strong climate of “disaffection” among the public.
“We cannot guarantee our support for the government. We will make decisions when they correspond and in the face of real scenarios, not possible ones,” Valido declared. The Canary Islands representative insisted that her party will only take a position “when there is a real scenario on the table,” meaning they will decide case-by-case whether to support the president in confidence votes, censure motions, or other crucial parliamentary decisions.
Coalición Canaria adopts wait-and-see approach
The island MP stressed that Coalición Canaria “is not going to get ahead of itself” and will “closely follow the evolution of events.” This cautious stance reflects the uncertain political landscape that could significantly impact governance and policy decisions affecting the Canary Islands and their residents.
During her meeting with Sánchez, Valido argued that the government should adopt more forceful measures, not only within the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party), but throughout the entire government structure, with particular attention to the role of ministries and senior officials. “A government has to act and take all the measures that make it impossible for this to happen again,” she stated, emphasizing the need for mechanisms ensuring maximum transparency in public procurement processes.
Government seeks to rebuild confidence
“The Open Government measures already recommend this, and it is urgent that all these controls are implemented,” Valido added, highlighting the importance of transparency measures that could affect future government projects and investments in the Canary Islands.
According to Valido, Sánchez “understood” Coalición Canaria’s position during their meeting and “was not surprised” by the decision to withdraw guaranteed support. The president reportedly acknowledged that other groups have conveyed similar messages and confirmed he is compiling proposals from coalition partners to strengthen confidence and security within the Executive.
Limited impact but symbolic significance
Valido insisted that “the Government does not depend on Coalición Canaria,” which holds only one parliamentary seat, but rather on other partners who will ultimately determine the Executive’s continuity. However, the symbolic impact of losing support from regional parties representing island communities like the Canaries could signal broader political instability.
The parliamentary spokeswoman described Sánchez as appearing “touched” and affected by the day’s control session and mounting political pressure. “He feels betrayed and disappointed, and shows a desire to continue if those partners on whom the government depends so wish,” she observed.
Uncertain political future ahead
Looking ahead, Valido warned that corruption-related information may continue emerging in the coming days, leaving the government to assess whether it maintains sufficient support to move forward. This ongoing uncertainty could affect legislative priorities and resource allocation to regions like the Canary Islands.
“The Government doesn’t really know what else is going to come out and that doesn’t allow us to make any progress,” the Coalición Canaria leader concluded, highlighting the challenging political landscape that lies ahead for Spain’s coalition government and its ability to effectively govern and serve all Spanish regions, including the strategically important Canary Islands.
