Sánchez Condemns PP Leadership Over Móstoles Harassment Allegations
Pedro Sánchez criticizes the PP for their inadequate response to harassment allegations against Móstoles' mayor, demanding accountability and contrasting PSOE's rigorous stance.
- • Pedro Sánchez condemns the PP for supporting the accused mayor and not investigating harassment claims.
- • Manuel Bautista denies direct harassment accusations, citing councilor’s threats and involvement in political appointments.
- • Madrid PP portrays the case as labor disagreements and labels recordings as illegal.
- • Sánchez demands resignation of Bautista and PP Madrid leadership for mishandling the incident.
Key details
Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s Prime Minister, has publicly criticized the People's Party (PP) for its handling of harassment allegations involving Manuel Bautista, the mayor of Móstoles. Speaking on February 6, 2026, Sánchez pointedly condemned the PP for failing to investigate the accusations and instead supporting the accused mayor. He emphasized the contrast with his party, the PSOE, which has acted decisively in similar harassment cases by demanding resignations, such as Francisco Salazar's. Sánchez asserted that the PP's leadership, including Isabel Díaz Ayuso and Alberto Núñez Feijóo, had shown reluctance or fear in addressing the issue, with Ayuso allegedly cautious due to political repercussions reminiscent of Pablo Casado’s ousting.
According to a recording revealed by El Mundo, Bautista responded to the harassment complaint by asserting that the former councilor who lodged the accusation had never requested any political position, despite Bautista having appointed her as his number two without experience. Bautista further suggested the councilor threatened to boycott an investiture vote unless granted deputy mayor status, a move the PP claims could destabilize their coalition with Vox amid the Aragon electoral campaign.
The PP has framed the controversy as a labor disagreement rather than sexual harassment, with Alfonso Serrano, Madrid PP secretary general, branding the released recordings as illegal and denying sexual harassment allegations. Meanwhile, the councilor's lawyer conceded that proving sexual harassment is challenging but is preparing a formal labor harassment complaint.
Sánchez demanded the resignation of both Bautista and the PP’s Madrid leadership for their mishandling of the crisis. He stressed the need to confront structural harassment issues seriously rather than dismiss or cover them up, highlighting the ongoing political tensions surrounding harassment accountability within Spanish parties.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
