The President of Spain does not resign but apologizes to the Spanish people.

The Spanish president is facing a new corruption case within the Socialist Party. He was forced to appear before the media on Thursday.

The Prime Minister and Secretary General of the PSOE, Pedro Sánchez , stated that "the reason for this meeting is to provide explanations after learning of the Civil Guard report on the chaos surrounding Ábalos and Koldo García."

"I'm doing this to apologize. I was convinced of Santos Cerdán's integrity . There were rumors circulating about alleged investigations, but the truth is there was no evidence of Santos Cerdán's involvement in the Koldo case," he explained.

"This morning we learned of the report, and these very serious indications have emerged , and that's why I've asked Santos Cerdán to resign this afternoon," he stated.

"We shouldn't have trusted him," the Prime Minister said of Santos Cerdán , who until now was his Organization Secretary in the PSOE.

Furthermore, Sánchez announced in his appearance that an external audit of the party's accounts will be carried out and that he himself will promote a restructuring of the commission.

Sánchez apologized once again to the public. "I have always been committed to the fight against corruption, both through my government and my party. And it causes me enormous indignation and sadness."

All this comes after the Supreme Court's Criminal Chamber judge, Leopoldo Puente, agreed this Thursday to lift the secrecy of the separate case opened after receiving a report from the UCO, dated June 5, regarding Congressman Santos Cerdán.

In the report, the Civil Guard describes the existence of an alleged criminal organization within the leadership of the PSOE, stating that "Santos Cerdán was the person in charge of managing the alleged payments," transactions totaling more than 620,000 euros.

The UCO document details the roles allegedly played by the three main members of this alleged network: Ábalos, Koldo, and Santos Cerdán himself.

Upon learning these details, Pedro Sánchez, who is also the leader of the Socialist Party, asked Santos Cerdán to resign as secretary of organization and as a deputy. "He has given me his explanations and I have listened to them," he said, adding, "It is up to me to make decisions."

The Spanish Prime Minister ruled out calling early elections and asserted that there will be no elections until 2027. He also denied any intention to resign, stating that his administration transcends his personal image because it represents "a model for the country." In this context, he insisted that there is no government crisis but rather an internal party problem, adding that he will run again if his party so decides.

It's worth remembering that Santos Cerdán was part of the Prime Minister's inner circle and led the negotiations to form the executive with the nationalist parties and the fugitive pro-independence leader, Carles Puigdemont. In other words, the corruption scandal is also affecting the Moncloa, as it had already led to the departure of the former Minister of Public Works from his team.

• What happened and who is involved? A leaked recording obtained by the UCO (the Civil Guard's anti-corruption unit) reveals conversations between Santos Cerdán (PSOE's Organization Secretary), former minister José Luis Ábalos, and his former advisor Koldo García. These conversations discuss payments exceeding €400,000–€620,000, allegedly from companies that won public contracts. This places Cerdán as the mastermind behind these "kickbacks" in what is now known as the "Koldo plot" or the "Ábalos case."
• Political consequences: Today (June 12, 2025), Santos Cerdán resigned as Secretary of Organization of the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) and renounced his seat in Congress, following an appearance in which he announced that he will voluntarily testify before the Supreme Court on June 25. The crisis has generated intense political pressure: the opposition is demanding clear answers, and some government partners are demanding transparency. Leaders such as Ione Belarra and members of the ERC, Podemos, and Sumar parties believe the case goes beyond a resignation: it is now "the PSOE case."
• Sánchez's apology and the future of the PSOE: Pedro Sánchez appeared today to publicly apologize for having trusted Cerdán and announced measures: an external audit of the party's accounts and a restructuring of the PSOE Executive Committee, admitting that there was no "zero corruption" but rather "zero tolerance" within his party. Although he denies personal implications, he acknowledged his failure to trust Cerdán and reinforced his commitment to transparency. The case is shaking the PSOE, jeopardizing the stability of the government, and has rekindled debates about possible changes to the Executive Committee or early elections.