Since early 2024, Spain has witnessed one of the most extensive waves of political and economic corruption investigations since the 2018 collapse of Mariano Rajoy's government. Dozens of politicians, senior officials, and business figures have been implicated in high-profile cases, with some already convicted, others referred to trial, and several remaining under investigation while benefiting from the presumption of innocence.
At the center of the country's anti-corruption drive is the "Koldo case," which initially focused on alleged irregularities in COVID-19 face mask procurement contracts before expanding into suspected kickback schemes linked to major public infrastructure projects.
The investigation has implicated former Transport Minister and senior Socialist Party figure José Luis Ábalos, his former adviser Koldo García, businessman Víctor de Aldama, and former Socialist Party Organization Secretary Santos Cerdán. Investigators from Spain's Civil Guard alleged that Cerdán played a role in steering public works contracts toward selected companies in exchange for commissions.
Spain's Supreme Court divided the investigation into two separate proceedings. One examines the pandemic-era procurement contracts, alleged influence peddling, and appointments within public institutions, while the second focuses on suspected irregularities surrounding road and railway construction contracts.
According to judicial findings, construction giant Acciona Construcción secured more than €537 million in public works through entities linked to the Ministry of Transport. Authorities continue investigating the companies involved and the alleged flow of illicit commissions.
In June 2026, Ábalos was convicted in the first phase of the case and received prison sentences totaling 24 years, while investigations into the public works contracts and the alleged involvement of Cerdán, public officials, and business executives remain ongoing.
Another major investigation concerns Begoña Gómez, the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has been under judicial investigation since April 2024 over allegations of influence peddling linked to her work at Complutense University and her contacts with business executives whose companies allegedly benefited from public contracts or government support.
On July 16, 2026, a Madrid court upheld the decision to send Gómez to trial before a jury on charges of abuse of office and embezzlement of public funds, while dropping, at this stage, the charge of business corruption. The case also includes Cristina Álvarez, an aide working within the Prime Minister's Office, while proceedings involving businessman Juan Carlos Peñalver continue separately.
Gómez and Spain's government have consistently denied any wrongdoing, arguing that the proceedings are politically motivated. Prosecutors have requested the dismissal of parts of the investigation.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sánchez's brother, David Sánchez, was convicted in July 2026 after a court in Badajoz found him guilty of abuse of office related to a publicly funded cultural position within the provincial council.
The court concluded that the position had been created specifically for him, barring him from holding public office for nine years. He was acquitted of a separate abuse-of-power charge. Several former provincial officials, including former Socialist provincial president Miguel Ángel Gallardo, also received disqualification sentences.
Corruption allegations have also reached Spain's main opposition. In July 2025, prosecutors opened a major investigation involving former Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro, several former ministry officials, and partners at the consultancy Equipo Económico, which Montoro founded.
The investigation examines allegations that a network of officials coordinated with companies in the gas, electricity, and renewable energy sectors to secure favorable tax legislation in exchange for payments.
Around 28 individuals are under investigation, including former senior tax officials. Initial estimates suggested illicit payments exceeding €11 million, although financial investigations later traced transactions totaling €35.5 million whose origin and destination remain under examination.
Montoro has denied any criminal wrongdoing.
The investigation has fueled concerns over what Spanish media have described as "legislation on demand," raising questions about whether private corporate interests may have directly influenced the drafting of tax laws.
Another major judicial investigation concerns an alleged fuel VAT fraud scheme.
In June 2026, Spain's National Court proposed trying 16 defendants accused of evading approximately €148 million in taxes through networks of shell companies operating within the fuel supply chain. Víctor de Aldama also faces a separate investigation into another alleged tax fraud network involving even larger sums and the transfer of funds abroad.
Investigators believe the schemes relied on intermediary companies and complex supply chains to conceal the real beneficiaries while avoiding VAT payments.
The succession of corruption scandals has intensified debate within Spanish political, academic, and media circles over whether the country is facing a broader crisis of democratic governance.
Many analysts argue the cases point to persistent structural weaknesses, including recurring conflicts of interest, insufficient regulation of lobbying activities, the revolving door between government and private business, and the use of public appointments to reinforce political patronage networks.
These concerns are reflected in international assessments. Spain scored 55 out of 100 in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, falling to 49th place globally, down from 56 points and 46th place a year earlier.
The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) of the Council of Europe has also concluded that Spain has yet to adequately implement key anti-corruption recommendations, particularly regarding lobbying regulation, oversight of senior public officials, and strengthening the independence of conflict-of-interest watchdogs.
At the same time, many observers caution against portraying the developments as evidence of democratic collapse. Rather, they argue, the investigations demonstrate that Spain's judiciary, law enforcement agencies, investigative media, and oversight institutions remain capable of exposing corruption and pursuing accountability, even against figures at the highest levels of political power.
Instead, Spain appears to be confronting two realities simultaneously: widespread corruption that exposed vulnerabilities in political parties, public administration, and government contracting, alongside institutions that continue to investigate, prosecute, and punish abuses of power.
