Congress urges Sánchez to provide urgent explanations despite his partners' refusal.

The PNV (Basque Nationalist Party) distances itself from Sánchez, and its abstention allows for the passage of a PP initiative demanding urgent explanations from the Prime Minister regarding the corruption scandals.

Every day that passes, it becomes more evident that the UCO report published last week, revealing an alleged corruption plot within the PSOE leadership that directly affects its former Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán , is nothing more than the tip of an iceberg whose depth is still unknown.

And with each passing day, it is also increasingly clear that, despite their public criticism, Sánchez's investiture partners are not willing to let his government fall , so the majority do not want to hear about an early election, and even less so support any initiative of censure or reproach coming from the conservative bloc, no matter how much the latter urges Sánchez to do the same thing his allies are demanding: provide explanations.

Against this backdrop, the Congress approved a PP initiative on Thursday that, in addition to recognizing the work of the UCO (Central Operative Unit) of the Civil Guard, demands that Sánchez urgently explain the scandals uncovered by that unit, which have caused a political earthquake in the PSOE and in national politics with multiple aftershocks. Sánchez also demands that he assume his responsibility as leader of the Socialist Party.

The initiative was passed with the favorable votes of the PP, Vox, and UPN, but, above all, thanks to the abstention of the PNV, which distanced itself from Sánchez, thus allowing Parliament to demand explanations from him regarding the Cerdán case (his appearance is scheduled for July 9). It is somewhat paradoxical that the other partners in the investiture bloc (Junts, ERC, Bildu, Podemos, and the BNG), who have been constantly demanding explanations in recent days, voted against it along with the PSOE and Sumar.

The PP's initiative, which was voted on in three separate points, did garner the most support on one of those three issues: recognition of the work and professionalism of the Civil Guard , and especially of the UCO officers, calling for the independence of their investigations to be guaranteed. This section was approved by a large majority, including in this case the votes of the PSOE and Sumar (except for one of its deputies, who voted against), compared to the opposition of ERC, Junts, Bildu, Podemos, and BNG.

However, the Socialists and Sumar again distanced themselves and voted against (along with their usual partners) a third point that urged the government to cease attacks and insinuations about the Civil Guard by senior officials and members of the executive branch, in addition to demanding a "public rectification" from those who "spread false information against the officers."

It should not be forgotten that the leader of the PSOE and President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez , in his recent letter to the Socialist militants, had sown doubts about the UCO by denouncing that "what is reprehensible is that the content of this report has been used at the service of a deliberate attempt by the right to overthrow a legitimate government ." This apparent cohesion of the investiture bloc, rejecting the majority of the PP's proposals, could not prevent the Congress from demanding explanations for the Cerdán case, inflicting a new parliamentary defeat , given the PNV's withdrawal, which abstained on all three points.

The entente, however, regained unity on another issue that directly affects a key institution: the Attorney General's Office. The plenary session of Congress rejected a non-legislative motion by the People's Party (PP) to, among other issues, urge the government to promote the dismissal of the Attorney General, Álvaro García Ortiz , who is on the verge of being brought before the Supreme Court for an alleged crime of revealing secrets committed against Alberto González Amador, Isabel Díaz Ayuso's partner. The Professional and Independent Association of Prosecutors (APIF) yesterday requested a sentence of six years in prison and 12 years of disqualification from office.

There, however, there were no fissures within the investiture bloc, and the initiative was rejected by a majority, including the votes of the PNV in this case. The proposal only had the support of the PP, Vox, and UPN, with the abstention of Coalición Canaria. The crisis of confidence that the alleged "criminal organization" discovered within the PSOE leadership has caused among Sánchez's parliamentary allies has not been enough to abandon him on this issue , in which the PP wanted the chamber to urge the Executive to dismiss García Ortiz "for serious and repeated breach of his duties" and to promote "a truly independent and professional election model that guarantees the impartiality of the Public Prosecutor's Office."

And while this was happening in Congress, First Vice President María Jesús Montero admitted that apologizing "is not enough" and anticipated "more measures" from the government against corruption. She announced this at a CCOO event, which she attended as a substitute for Sánchez, who on Thursday freed up his agenda to, from his position in La Moncloa, devise a reform plan to conclude the term , according to the Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños.