Spain Struggles with GRECO Anti-Corruption Compliance Amid Political Turmoil
Spain continues to fall short in implementing GRECO's anti-corruption recommendations, facing significant political scrutiny.
Key Points
- • Spain is non-compliant with 19 GRECO anti-corruption recommendations.
- • Three recommendations are completely unaddressed, including standards for government advisors.
- • Sixteen recommendations are in partial implementation but progressing slowly.
- • The report comes amid political turmoil for Pedro Sánchez's government.
A recent GRECO report reveals that Spain remains non-compliant with 19 crucial anti-corruption recommendations, highlighting significant institutional inadequacies. Although some legislative strides have been noted, including the Action Plan for Democracy and proposed lobby regulations, GRECO insists that Spain’s overall progress is insufficient. Three recommendations are criticized for being neglected entirely: establishing transparency standards for government advisors, revising immunity protocols for government officials to ensure judicial accountability, and enhancing institutional control mechanisms. Moreover, sixteen recommendations are reported to be in the process of implementation but are advancing at a frustratingly slow pace, which has not met GRECO’s standards. This report arrives at a critical juncture for Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s administration, which is facing pressure due to ongoing corruption scandals. The European Commission is pushing Spain to accelerate its investigations into these scandals. GRECO has set a deadline for Spain to present a follow-up report detailing substantial progress by June 30, 2026, raising concerns about the government’s ability to meet this timeline effectively amid the ongoing challenges.