Political Blowback as Supreme Court Disqualifies Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz Amid 'Lawfare' Allegations

The Supreme Court of Spain issued a controversial ruling disqualifying Attorney General Álvaro García Ortiz for two years and imposing a fine of €7,200. This decision has sparked strong backlash from opposition parties, particularly the Sumar party, which claims the sentence was predetermined and politically motivated. Lara Hernández, leader of Sumar, described the ruling as part of a right-wing offensive against the government, referencing a comment by former Prime Minister José María Aznar that suggested the verdict was written before the trial even began.

Alberto Ibáñez, deputy from Compromís within Sumar, labeled the ruling as an example of “lawfare,” insisting it reveals lingering influences of Francoism that threaten democratic principles such as the presumption of innocence and press freedom. Sumar's official statement condemned the ruling as a political attack on the current government, calling it a judicial coup intended to destabilize a legitimate administration. They criticized the weak evidence base of the case and brought attention to the impunity of Miguel Ángel Rodriguez, who admitted to leaking false information during the trial.

This judicial action has stirred deep concerns regarding the independence of the judiciary and the broader political climate in Spain. The ruling emerges against a backdrop of heightened political tensions and accusations of using judicial mechanisms for political ends. Opposition parties warn this sets a dangerous precedent that may erode democratic safeguards.

The case has not occurred in isolation; meanwhile, other political disputes such as the Senate’s investigation into the financing of Pedro Sánchez’s 2017 primary campaign continue to unfold, although those issues are distinct and have involved defenses of fund legality by former association treasurer Pedro Luis Egea. Nonetheless, the disqualification of a sitting Attorney General marks an unprecedented and turbulent moment in Spanish politics.

As it stands, the controversy surrounding García Ortiz's disqualification intensifies political polarization and raises urgent questions about judicial impartiality and political interference in Spain.